Target: Sir Kieth O’Nions, President and Rector, Imperial College London
Goal: Save animals from unnecessary suffering and death at an internationally prominent research laboratory
A panel of scientific experts has found extreme wrongdoing in the animal research department at Imperial College London, one of Britain’s leading research facilities. This is not the only recent complaint: the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection reported “appalling animal suffering” upon its inspection of the facility.
Initial allegations of animal cruelty by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection prompted the college to call in a team of independent scientists to review the practices of the laboratory. The results were worse than originally expected. In fact, the facility’s operational, leadership, management, training, and supervisory systems were all described as inadequate.
Among the atrocities going unchecked by the college review board was a failure to provide proper anesthesia, poor surgical procedures, and inexperienced, unsupervised staff performing invasive surgical procedures. The report noted unnecessary suffering and death of lab animals, and loud music that contributed to animal stress.
A lack of communication between staff affected the laboratory’s efficiency, while a lack of staff put stress on existing employees and caused some things to be overlooked.
The Imperial College London is one of the world’s leading universities and internationally recognized as one of the best research facilities. As such a prominent leader, it is imperative that proper animal welfare standards be exercised. Ask the college to lead by example and stop unnecessary animal suffering, by immediately implementing the 33 recommendations made by its team of review scientists.
Dear Sir Kieth O’Nions, President and Rector, Imperial College London,
Numerous recent reports have uncovered unnecessary animal suffering and cruelty in the lab facilities at the Imperial College London. Reports by an independent group of scientists found appalling wrongdoing in various aspects of operation: operational, leadership, management, training, ethical review and supervisory systems were all found to be inadequate. In fact, the ethical review board was deemed not fit for its purpose.
Some issues uncovered included improper surgical procedure, failure to provide proper pain management, and invasive surgery performed by inexperienced and unsupervised staff, which contributed to unnecessary stress, suffering, and death.
As an internationally recognized research institution and prominent university, the Imperial College London should show leadership in the humane treatment of laboratory animals. I demand that the recommendations made by the review panel be immediately implemented in order to prevent further suffering.
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Benimoto via Creative Commons