National Anti Vivisection Campaign
Every year in New Zealand, over 300,000 animals are used in experiments and testing by universities, pesticide and chemical manufacturers and government research institutes. Species used include birds, cats, dogs, goats, guinea pigs, mice, horses, pigs, rabbits, rats and sheep.
These experiments involve mutilation, genetic modification, live dissection and deliberate infection with painful diseases. Animals are tortured with drugs, poisoned with toxic chemicals, tormented in psychological testing, and subjected to many other atrocities that so-called scientists have been able to develop.
The following are examples of experiments that are typical of what happens in New Zealand vivisection laboratories.
Guinea Pigs
Researchers
at Otago University have spent many years doing brain experiments on guinea
pigs.
In one experiment, designed to test the effects of a protein called Brain
Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) on the brains of guineapigs, 30 animals
had a metal cannula inserted into the brain. The cannula was attached
to the skull using screws and dental cement. A week later, on the day
of the
experiment, a mini pump and catheter were implanted under the skin of
the shoulder blades, and a Unilateral Labyrinthectomy was carried out.
This surgery involves opening up one side of the guineapig's head and
using a dental drill to destroy the bones in the inner ear (responsible
for balance). After surgery the animals were placed in separate boxes
with perspex windows at the front. Video cameras were used to record the
head and eye movements for up to 50 hours after surgery. BDNF was given
in various doses to the guineapigs and the effects measured.
Agricultural chemical companies use guinea pigs in vaccine testing experiments involving ‘very severe suffering’ according to Ministry of Agriculture papers. Vaccine testing involves inflicting painful diseases on guinea pigs and studying the progress of the disease.
Sheep and cattle
This
photo is from an experiment at AgResearch Wallaceville, near Wellington.
Sheep are confined in crates for long periods of time while the research
is carried out. This causes stress and discomfort even before the experiment
begins. The sheep were then subjected to "cut and paste" operations
where sections of their intestines are cut out and separated from the
rest of the gut so that researchers can monitor the effects of parasites
in the altered gut section. Invasive operations like this cause severe
suffering to the animals.
This
is a fistulated cow. A fistula is a hole cut in the side of an animal
that allows scientists to put their hands inside the stomach of the animals.
These animals will be used over and over again in nutrition experiments
throughout their lives. This photo was taken at Massey University in Palmerston
North, but similar cows can also be seen at the AgResearch Ruakura campus
outside Hamilton. This operation is also carried out on many other farm
animal species.