Daily Mail - Kittens' skulls cracked open and electrodes inserted into their brains in shocking series of experiments at 10 UK universities including Cambridge.
Kittens have been paralysed, had their skulls broken and had electrodes stuck onto their brains, ribs and spine as part of a series of shocking experiments at 10 of the country's most prestigious universities.
The cruel procedures on the helpless subjects have been performed so scientists can improve their understanding of the human body.
Some of the animals were raised in complete darkness while others had one of their eyes stitched closed so scientists could analyse problems surrounding 'lazy eye'. Others had their lungs deliberately collapsed during the brutal procedures and many were injected with paralysing drugs to stop them moving or breathing.
Scientists put the kittens under anaesthetic but when the experiments were finished, most of them were killed.
In a document seen by Mail Online, 10 universities including Cambridge were listed as having performed the controversial tests.
University College London gave the animals anaesthetic before screwing plates into their skull while they were placed face down.
Electrodes were then attached to their spine to 'investigate how abdominal nerve cells and muscles work together to allow for normal respiration, coughing and breathing.' To test 'feedback mechanisms' between the eyes and the brain, they placed electrodes onto certain areas of the brain after removing parts of their skull.
The University of Bristol and Manchester Metropolitan University purposely bred cats for their experiments, which involved 'cutting through the skin and bone to gain access to the skull.'
At the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, cats were placed on a strict diet to test how it affected 'blood fat constituents.' Some of the food regimes, which lasted for six weeks, were high in fat and harmful.
Cardiff University and University of Edinburgh raised kittens and their mothers in 'complete darkness' to test how certain brain functions related to amblyopia, commonly known as ‘lazy eye’. Some kittens were raised normally and then placed in complete darkness for a week.
Other kittens had one eye closed through the use of sutures in the eyelids for up to seven days.
Major head surgery was done to prepare the kittens for testing. They were then anaesthetised and paralysed with a drug which prevented them from breathing or moving. A hole was made through their throats into their tracheas (wind pipe) so that a tube could be inserted and used to artificially 'breathe' for them.
The Royal Veterinary College and the University of Glasgow were also said to be 'directly involved' in the experiments.
Animal campaigners have reacted angrily to the revelations with one calling the procedures 'repulsive'. Andrew Tyler, the director of Animal Aid said: 'The extreme suffering and stress endured by the cats and kittens used in these repulsive experiments is deeply disturbing to imagine.
'Quite apart from the suffering caused, these appalling procedures are highly unlikely to contribute to medical progress, since the results of animal experiments cannot be reliably translated to humans. Instead of torturing cats and kittens in perversely cruel experiments, University College London should move into the twenty-first century and embrace the wide range of non-animal methods that are available to scientists and produce valid, human-relevant results.'
The shocking treatment of the kittens was outlined in a report by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). CEO of the BUAV, Michelle Thew, said: 'Over 5 million families in the UK share their home with one or more cats yet these much loved animals are still being used in cruel experiments in which they can be subjected to invasive brain surgery or deliberately deprived of light or vision by being raised in total darkness or by having their eyelids sewn shut.
'Much of the research is fundamental and the BUAV believes that sophisticated alternative techniques, which do not involve animal suffering, should be used instead. We are calling on the Government to end the cruel use of cats in UK laboratories.'
Comedian and author, Alexei Sayle, who is campaigning with the BUAV, will deliver report titled ‘What is happening to cats?’ to the Home Office. Mr Sayle said: 'As a cat owner myself I know what wonderful companions they can be and how affectionate, intelligent and playful. That is why I am joining with the BUAV to ask the UK Government to bring an end to the use of all cats in experimentation. It is time to stop this cruel and unnecessary suffering.'
Last year, animal charity PETA challenged the University of Wisconsin over their treatment of cats during animal testing. The organisation managed to capture some of the animals during the procedures.
A spokesman for University College London said the experiments mentioned in the article were carried out in 1992 and 1998.
Reacting to the allegations, Cardiff University spokesperson said: 'The research referenced in today’s story ended in 2010. 'Our research involving animals is aimed at the alleviation of human and veterinary disease through the advancement of medical, dental, biological and veterinary understanding. All animal-related research work at Cardiff University is designed and carried out in accordance with the principles of the 3Rs under veterinary oversight and in compliance with the strict conditions imposed by the UK Government.'
A spokesman for Glasgow University said: 'Animals are used in important research targeting diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, and parasitic diseases; and only where there are no alternatives. When doing so, the University adheres to extremely strict ethical and welfare guidelines and legislation and all work is licensed by the Home Secretary only when the benefits of doing so are made absolutely clear.'
Mail Online has contacted the other universities for comment.
Caution - pictures of the torture of kittens
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2646004/Kittens-skulls-cracked-opens-electrodes-inserted-brains-shocking-series-experiments-University-College-London.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photo of kitten on this page, Wikipedia - The photos on the original news report are just too brutal.
What kind of human being would promote and carry out this 'research'? What do they do in their spare time? What kind of fantasies and dreams do they have?
Why aren't students protesting that their university is involved in this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This kind of sadism is traditional in British education and research.
ALL LEGAL - THE SADISTIC ANIMAL CRUELTY OF SCIENCE LABS - THE KILLING OF PUPPIES AND KITTENS
Horrific video shows distress of puppies and kittens waiting to be dissected at a British animal testing lab
Read more
http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/2014/03/all-legal-sadistic-animal-cruelty-of.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BRITISH ACADEMIC AUTHORITIES SANCTION SADISTIC CRUELTY AGAINST ANIMALS BY STUDENTS
British pupil skins cats alive and principal Clive Dytor's reaction is "Boys will be boys".
Mr Clive Dytor, head of a £30,000-a-year public school believed 'boys would be boys' after four pupils beat a schoolmate with a belt and another filmed himself skinning live cats, a whistleblower has claimed. In a whistleblowing letter she described the disturbing case of a second boy, described as Boy A, who she said had beaten wild birds to death and filmed himself skinning live cats.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2551733/Boys-boys-How-headmaster-public-school-treated-pupils-skinned-live-cats-wrapped-younger-pupil-duct-tape-beating-belt.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why animal experiments are not needed
Doctors against animal experiments in Germany
In English:
- http://www.aerzte-gegen-tierversuche.de/en
- http://www.aerzte-gegen-tierversuche.de/en/frontpage/98-ressources/1475-why-animal-experiments-are-not-needed
****************************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for visiting my blog. Your comments are always appreciated, but please do not include links.