Stop The Oxford Animal Lab

Provided by Animal Activists in Oxford, England
March 18, 2006

Oxford University are presently engaged in trying to build a new animal research lab just five minutes from the historic centre of Oxford. This seat of academic learning hides a nasty secret, behind the beautiful architecture and dreaming spires lies suffering and death in the university labs. Countless thousands of animals are destined to be the latest victims of arrogance and scientific fraud inside the walls of this new facility.

The story so far:

At the beginning of 2004, Oxford University claimed that the site on South Parks Road was to be an 'Animal Hotel.' They said that "no experiments would be carried out there and there would be NO primates." These statements were to mark the start of a series of lies and misinformation that has proven to be the norm for Oxford University.

On Tuesday, 16th March [2004], Oxford University issued a statement which contradicted their initial claims, finally admitting that "the facility will be used to experiment on animals." Oxford University believes it has no reason to inform the outside world about the nature of animal experiments carried out within its facilities. A closer look at the research on animals at the university reveals exactly why they are so desperate to keep the lid on the new lab.

An experiment published in 'Nature' in 2002 described how ten 5 week old kittens had one eye sewn together and had a part of their skull removed to expose the brain. In 2003 another published paper highlights the long-term nature of animal suffering inside Oxford University.

Three Rhesus Macaque monkeys with artificially produced brain damage were subjected to a variety of tests. Two of the monkeys involved in this experiment had parts of their brains removed ten years previously when they were five years old.

On August 11th, 2004 a leading Oxford Professor claimed that the monkeys experimented on lived "the life of Riley" and that "there was no pain or stress." These words are from a researcher who has routinely inflicted brain damage on highly intelligent and sensitive creatures and whose own published papers describe how after one experiment the monkeys required 'intensive nursing' to keep them alive.

In October 2004 Oxford University sought to impose a draconian injunction on those involved in a legal and peaceful campaign against the new animal lab on South Parks Road in order to stop them highlighting the lies told by the University.

The University failed to attend a public meeting in November 2004 at Oxford Town Hall despite being invited to debate the issue in front of the general public.

On November 12th, 2004, The Times newspaper reported that the Police had investigated a case of cruelty against a leading professor at Oxford University. The article stated that the professor had refused to have a monkey that was suffering put out of its misery because he described it as an 'asset." This intransigence persisted despite pleas from the university's own vet to end the animal's suffering. It was only after a direct intervention from the Home Office that this poor creature's torment was ended.

Help us to stop the animal cruelty at Oxford University

SPEAK
The Voice for the Animals
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Editor's note: When I met these activists in Oxford, England on the weekend of March 18, 2006, they told me that they have actually been arrested for establishing a table in the city of Oxford, and that they sometimes have to leave rather quickly so they wouldn't be arrested again.