EVERY year, during the World Lab Animal Week, compassionate people around the world speak out on behalf of the victims of vivisection.

World Day for Laboratory Animals on April 24, 2011, was a time to reflect upon the suffering of millions of monkeys, cats, fish, mice, rats, dogs, birds, rabbits, pigs, horses and many other species. Despite mounting evidence demonstrating that the information gained by using animals cannot be reliably applied to human medicine, the suffering continues and both animals and people continue to die. This is a particularly important time to campaign for lab animals, as the UK Government is about to draw up new rules based on he new EU Directive. But rather than bringing in a new law which will be opened to rigorous scrutiny, it is considering handing over this responsibility to the Home Office. That means no public consultation and no debate in the House of Commons. At the same time, the proposed EU ban on the import and sale of animal-tested products is also under threat. Readers can show their support for an end to vivisection by contacting the National Anti-Vivisection Society on 02076 303 340, or by visiting their website: www.navs.org.uk.

You can help change the lives of the 3.7 million animals who suffer in UK labs every year.

Frances Wicks

Alphington Road, Exeter