The BUAV was encouraged to hear that Norman Baker, until recently the Home Office Minister responsible for animal tests, intended to:

• Bring an end to Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
• Ban animal testing for household products AND their ingredients

Mr Baker said that both changes would be in place before the General Election, but with the time for that fast approaching, we are concerned it may not happen.

What is Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and why do we want it gone?

Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 restricts publication of the details of what happens to animals in experiments and inhibits serious debate.

Over the years, the BUAV’s investigations in UK laboratories show the stark contrast between claims made by Government and industry and the cruel reality experienced by animals in laboratories. Time and time again we have uncovered poor standards, lack of enforcement of legislation and a failure to minimise suffering. Just watch our video above for further evidence.

With no openness or transparency there can be no informed public debate about animal experiments.

Why do we need a ban on animal testing for household products and their ingredients?

Rabbits, hamsters, rats and mice have traditionally been injected, gassed, force-fed and killed to test the ingredients that go into everyday household products such as washing up liquid, air fresheners and dishwasher tablets.

Thanks to pressure from our Clean Up Cruelty campaign, in 2010 the UK Government pledged to “end the testing of household products on animals” and in 2011, Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone MP, promised the ban would include the ingredients that go into making up the product. Yet, after years of consideration and promises the Government has still not published its final plans for the ban. We are now concerned they may do a U-turn which only covers finished products, making it an effectively worthless and empty gesture.

We don’t believe in making promises we won’t keep – and we don’t believe the UK Government should either. Please join our call today.

Find out more about the BUAV’s Broken Promises campaign here: http://www.buav.org/our-campaigns/broken-promises