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More than 600 colleges and universities have received them—letters asking that they adopt a policy ensuring that no laboratory animals will experience severe and unrelieved pain and distress.
Several schools have let us know that they will adopt such a policy or already have one in place, but many others have refused to adopt a policy or have failed to respond.
Check the list of schools to find out what action your school took.
If your school is one of those that hasn't yet adopted a policy, check out our top ten steps for engaging your campus to help animals used in experiments. For the best results, follow the steps in order:
1. Do Your Research
View our interactive map of research facilities to find the number and type(s) of animals being used in research, testing, and teaching at your school. This information will be helpful when talking to students, faculty and others about your school adopting a pain and distress policy.
2. Keep in Touch
If getting your school to create a policy is important to you, be sure to take advantage of our resources by keeping us in the loop. Let us know your ideas and we'll provide you with support and advice. Email us at ari@humanesociety.org.
3. Take it to the Top
A personal request can go a long way. Try to schedule a face-to-face meeting with your school's president or chancellor so you can explain why having a policy is important to you and ask that they adopt one.
4. Find it on Facebook
If a Facebook icon is posted next to your school's name on the list, it means that we have set up a Facebook petition to urge your school to create a pain and distress policy. Simply click it to sign and forward to your friends! (Note: You must be a member of Facebook to sign petitions). If there's no Facebook petition for your school and you'd like us to start one please contact us at ari@humanesociety.org.
5. Spread the Word
Post our informational flyers around campus to encourage others to get involved. The flyers include basic information about implementing a pain and distress policy, and our contact information.
6. Put Pen to Paper
Write a letter to the president or chancellor of your university, then encourage fellow students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff to do the same. Many schools make the contact information of the president or chancellor available online—simply click the name of your school.
Letters should call on the president or chancellor to create a written policy that ensures that no laboratory animals in their care experience severe and unrelieved pain and distress. You should stress that this issue is of concern to you as a (student/ alumni/ parent/ etc.), and that you would like to see the school implement a policy and go above the letter of the law in ensuring animal welfare.
7. Snag Some Signatures
Create a petition to send to your university's president or chancellor using our customizable template.
When collecting petition signatures, it's important to show that the signatures are those of students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, or community members who have a vested interest in the activities at your school. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to ask people to include their local address and/or zip code with their signature.
To encourage people to sign your petition, carry copies of our informational flyer with you.
8. Make the Most of the Media
Use the media to help spread the word about your school's stance on pain and distress in research animals. Good places to start include your school's student newspaper and/or local newspapers. Let them know via email or phone that you are concerned that the school has not adopted a policy to ensure that no laboratory animals in their care experience severe and unrelieved pain and distress, and request that they publish an article on this issue.
You can also submit a letter to the editor or an op-ed. Be sure to do your research first—facts and figures can be a powerful way of getting your point across.
If you've started a petition, you can also use the signatures you've gathered to show that this issue is of concern to many people.
9. Summon Support
Getting influential student organizations on board can help create momentum for the cause. Make appointments with a member of the student government association, the faculty council and other relevant organizations to discuss the issue and ask if they would like to provide a letter of support for the school adopting a policy on this issue.
You can also use these meetings to meet students and faculty members who would be willing to write individual letters of support.
10. Plan a Peaceful Demonstration
A demonstration can help motivate supporters while drawing attention to the school adopting a policy, but this action should only be taken if steps 1-9 have not been successful.
Before you start planning, it's important to learn about the rules and regulations for demonstrations on your campus. Many campuses have a "free speech zone," outside of which demonstrations are not allowed to occur.
At your demonstration, take the opportunity to engage people who are undecided about the issue. Spending time arguing with people who oppose the school adopting a pain and distress policy will probably be a waste of time and can set the stage for altercations that won't benefit either party.
Updated Sept. 3, 2009
