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Dogs are among the 12 million animals who suffer and die each year in research and testing laboratories across the EU. ©iStock.com |
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The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International (HSI) are applauding the European Commission for presenting a long-awaited proposal to update and improve the European Union's more than 20-year-old legislation governing animal experiments (Directive 86/609/EEC).
More than 12 million rodents, rabbits, dogs, monkeys and other animals suffer and die each year in research and testing laboratories across the European Union; yet many are currently denied even minimal protection under EU legislative provisions, such as the requirement to use available alternative methods.
Proposed Protections
The proposal, presented on November 5, takes steps not only to close loopholes but to implement vital new animal welfare measures, including the requirement for specific authorization of each experiment, which entails an ethical review that will examine the availability of alternative methods.
In addition, the Commission proposal would see the scope of the Directive extended to cover all vertebrate animals used for scientific research, education and training and organ/tissue supply, as well as selected invertebrate species and fetuses during the final trimester of development, and to severely restrict the use of wild-caught primates and great apes in experiments.
"The revision of EU animal experiments legislation provides an unprecedented opportunity to improve the protection of animals in laboratories both in European countries and worldwide," said Emily McIvor, EU director of HSI. "In the coming months, The HSUS will be stepping up efforts to ensure that the animal welfare advances contained in this proposal are preserved and strengthened during political discussions in the European Parliament."
U.S. Slow to Catch Up
"This proposal highlights the growing gap between U.S. and EU animal protection measures," said Martin Stephens, Ph.D., HSUS vice president for animal research issues. "While the U.S. does not even count the vast majority of the birds, rats and mice used in experiments, the EU is adding species not previously protected and creating strict new regulations applying to all animal experiments."
