them,andtheequipmentusedtoexperimentonthem.These
companiesarepreparedtospendhugeamountsofmoneyto
opposelegislationthatwilldeprivethemoftheirprofitable
markets. With financial interests like these allied to the
prestige of medicine and science the struggle to end
speciesism in the laboratory is bound to be difficult and
protracted. What is the best way to make progress?
ItdoesnotseemlikelythatanymajorWesterndemocracyis
going to abolish all animal experimentation at a stroke.
Governments just do not work like that. Animal
experimentation will only be ended when a series of
piecemeal reforms have reduced its importance, led to its
replacementinmanyfields,and largelychangedthepublic
attitudetoanimals.Theimmediatetask,then,istoworkfor
thesepartialgoals,which canbe seenasmilestonesonthe
longmarchtotheeliminationofallexploitationofsentient
animals. All concerned to end animalsuffering cantry to
make known what is happening at universities and
commercial laboratories in their own communities.
Consumerscanrefuse to purchaseproductsthat havebeen
testedon animals—especially incosmetics, alternatives are
now available. Students should decline to carry out
experimentstheyconsiderunethical.Anyone canstudythe
academicjournalstofindoutwherepainfulexperimentsare
beingcarried out, and thenfind some wayof making the
public aware of what is happening.
Itisalsonecessarytomaketheissuepolitical.Aswehave
alreadyseen,legislatorsreceivehugenumbersoflettersabout
animalexperiments.Butithastakenmanyyearsofhardwork
tomakeanimalexperimentationapoliticalissue.Fortunately
thishasnowstartedtohappeninseveralcountries.InEurope
and Australia animal experimentation is being addressed