THE Home Office statistics on animal experiments for 2001 showed a meagre 2.8 per cent drop in animals killed in British labs, but there were also some highly disturbing increases.
These included a 17 per cent rise in dog use, an 8 per cent rise in monkey use and an 8 per cent increase in tests using genetically modified animals (a 1207 per cent increase since 1990).
That still represents nearly three million animals dying in UK labs each year, a government rigidly stuck in a policy vacuum on vivisection, and a public losing faith and patience with its ability to embrace the type of reform expected of a Labour government.
WENDY HIGGINS, Campaigns Director, British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection.
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