Ex-Pussycat Doll and ‘Got to Dance’ judge, Kimberly Wyatt, is supporting Our Best Friends, a BUAV campaign calling on the Government to end the use of dogs and cats in experiments.
Credit/Copyright: BUAV
Kimberly is a passionate animal advocate and has posed with her beloved dog, Cupid, in support of the campaign.
Kimberly Wyatt, said: “I absolutely love animals which is why I am so upset to learn that there are still so many dogs and cats suffering in UK laboratories for animal testing. Please join me and the BUAV in calling on the Government to ban these cruel experiments once and for all! You can find out more at ourbestfriends.org.”
In 2012, 3,214 dogs and 202 cats were used in experiments in Great Britain. This represents a 6% increase for dogs and a 32% increase for cats on the previous year.
Most experiments carried out on dogs are toxicity (or poisoning) tests. The dogs may be injected with or force fed drugs and chemicals and then observed for signs of adverse (toxic) effects that include vomiting, internal bleeding and organ damage, seizures, paralysis – even death. They are killed at the end of the experiment.
Cats are often used in fundamental biological research. This usually focuses on the visual and nervous system and can involve experiments in which cats are deprived of their sight or subjected to lengthy, invasive brain experiments from which they do not recover.
The BUAV’s, CEO, Michelle Thew, said: “In the UK, dogs and cats are our most popular companion animals, yet they continue to be harmed in cruel experiments and there is no Government policy to reduce their use, let alone bring it to an end. We thank Kimberly for her vital support and urge the public to join us to make their voices heard, by writing to their MPs to sign EDM 514 and by signing our petition today www.ourbestfriends.org/petition”
The BUAV is urging the public to join Kimberly, sign our petition and back our call for a ban on the use of cats and dogs in experiments.
