Irene Campbell

I absolutely agree with everything that my hon. Friend said. It is important to note that the Labour manifesto pledge commits the Government to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society” to phase out animals in medical testing. The Government also state: “This is a long-term goal, and it will need further scientific and technical advancement and validation to reach this point”. The group Understanding Animal Research supports the use of animal research currently in the UK. It says: “In the UK, dogs are primarily used to find out how new drugs act within a whole, living body and whether new medicines are safe enough to test in humans…Their genome has been sequenced and…they are often used in genetic studies…Dogs are primarily used in regulatory research” and as a secondary species, alongside rodents. The dogs are mostly tested for areas such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, anti-rabies vaccines, heart research and veterinary medicine. Understanding Animal Research also states: “Research dogs live in large enclosures together with their pack mates. Lab technicians look after the dogs and play with them every day. The dogs are fed and watered daily, and the environment (lights, temperature etc.) is controlled automatically. The cages are cleaned daily, and the space is big enough to have a toilet area separate from the bed and play area. Dogs are intelligent enough to keep these areas separate, and there’s plenty of space to allow them to do so. Because the dogs live together, their social needs are met by other dogs. Unlike pets, they do not require the constant company of humans.” However, Animal Free Research UK disputes that quality of care and says: “Applications for project licences to conduct animal experiments are very rarely refused. Answers to Written Questions”— submitted in Parliament— “indicate that over the past seven years, only one licence application has been rejected.”