Germany Is Killing “Excess” Laboratory Animals. Stop This Unnecessary Murder Now!
Animal experiments are always heartbreaking, since they involve caging up scared, confused, helpless animals that are tortured and prodded until they’re no longer considered “useful.” But the animal research industry doesn’t only exploit laboratory creatures — it also kills off millions of “excess” animals that are never even used in experiments. Official European Union estimates suggest that, in 2017, labs in the EU killed off 12.6 million animals before they were ever used in studies. That’s even more than the total number of animals actually used in research facilities — which is 9.4 million creatures. Most of these culls are carried out in the most simple, heartless, cold way possible: with the click of a button. Researchers pull up an animal on a computer console and, just as though they were ordering a sandwich or playing a computer game, they select the “death” option and that’s it. Then, carbon dioxide floods in and the creature is fumigated to death.
Luckily, in Germany, this could be about to change. The country has strong protections for animal welfare, and prohibits any person or group from harming or killing animals unnecessarily. Prosecutors in one German state want to make sure this legal protection also extends to the millions of unused animals at research sites. Most experimentation centers are furious about this possible change. However, one boasted it has since updated its computer software to force researchers to consider rehousing or transferring excess animals instead of instantly killing them. This proves that there are other ways of operating at these facilities. They don’t have to be the sources of constant mass murders! All research facilities in Germany must stop killing these helpless “excess” animals. Sign the petition now if you agree!