British Heart Foundation: Stop funding cruel dog experiments. Stop breaking animals’ hearts!

British Heart Foundation: Stop funding cruel dog experiments. Stop breaking animals’ hearts!

The Issue

British Heart Foundation: using YOUR donations to break dogs’ hearts in deadly experiments both at UK and overseas Universities.  

Read AVC's extensive report on BHF HERE​

AVC has revealed that BHF are currently funding an experiment using 39 labrador dogs. They are to be kept in a laboratory where researchers will surgically implant pacemakers into their chests, causing weeks of rapid heartbeats and palpitations, slowly causing their hearts to fail. Heart failure is a multi-system experience, causing sufferers’ organs to gradually shut down. They will then undergo 8 hours’ surgery to open their chests, test their failing hearts further, then a massive heart attack will be given to each dog to kill them. These dogs will endure immense distress, pain and suffering.

AVC says :- “This is cruel, unnecessary and bad science! There are modern, effective non-animal replacements for experiments available now!”

 Anti-Vivisection Coalition (AVC) are against ANY animal being used in experiments. Our new campaign, “Broken Hearts Foundation”, will shine the spotlight onto British Heart Foundation’s extensive financing of animal research for human medicine. This initial petition demands that BHF withdraws and stops all funding to dog experiments both in the UK and overseas, it also demands that BHF produce a clear and precise time frame outlining the end to their funding of animal experiments.

BHF allocated over £90 million in 2013 on research, they won’t declare how much was spent on animal experiments. Nor do they identify experiments that they fund as involving animals.

Numerous breeds of dogs and other animals such as pigs, rats, horses, mice, fish, cats and sheep have been victims of BHF funded experiments. An Imperial College London researcher funded by BHF was part of a team in the USA that carried out research on 10 “purpose-bred dogs” (probably beagles). They had their chests cut open and the main artery of their heart tied to induce a heart attack. Electrodes were stitched onto the heart that post operatively were used to induce fast irregular heart beats.

READ AVC’s extensive REPORT on BHF funded experiments   

FOLLOW us on Facebook

avatar of the starter
Anti-Vivisection Coalition UKPetition StarterThe Anti-Vivisection Coalition (AVC) is an international animal rights organisation calling for the abolition of animal experiments. AVC is an international organisation - with representation in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and France - calling for an end to the use of animals in experiments. We believe animals are not objects to be used in experiments. - We are an animal rights organisation who believe all species should be treated with respect. As such we stand against - and work towards the end of the exploitation of non-human animals. - We are democratic organisation pursuing mainstream opinion and gaining the majority support of the people. Consequently AVC reject the extreme left and right and do not condone any form of political violence. UK - www.stopvivisection.org.uk / info@stopvivisection.org.uk Netherlands and Belgium - www.stopdierproeven.org France - www.contrevivisection.org
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This petition had 10,698 supporters

The Issue

British Heart Foundation: using YOUR donations to break dogs’ hearts in deadly experiments both at UK and overseas Universities.  

Read AVC's extensive report on BHF HERE​

AVC has revealed that BHF are currently funding an experiment using 39 labrador dogs. They are to be kept in a laboratory where researchers will surgically implant pacemakers into their chests, causing weeks of rapid heartbeats and palpitations, slowly causing their hearts to fail. Heart failure is a multi-system experience, causing sufferers’ organs to gradually shut down. They will then undergo 8 hours’ surgery to open their chests, test their failing hearts further, then a massive heart attack will be given to each dog to kill them. These dogs will endure immense distress, pain and suffering.

AVC says :- “This is cruel, unnecessary and bad science! There are modern, effective non-animal replacements for experiments available now!”

 Anti-Vivisection Coalition (AVC) are against ANY animal being used in experiments. Our new campaign, “Broken Hearts Foundation”, will shine the spotlight onto British Heart Foundation’s extensive financing of animal research for human medicine. This initial petition demands that BHF withdraws and stops all funding to dog experiments both in the UK and overseas, it also demands that BHF produce a clear and precise time frame outlining the end to their funding of animal experiments.

BHF allocated over £90 million in 2013 on research, they won’t declare how much was spent on animal experiments. Nor do they identify experiments that they fund as involving animals.

Numerous breeds of dogs and other animals such as pigs, rats, horses, mice, fish, cats and sheep have been victims of BHF funded experiments. An Imperial College London researcher funded by BHF was part of a team in the USA that carried out research on 10 “purpose-bred dogs” (probably beagles). They had their chests cut open and the main artery of their heart tied to induce a heart attack. Electrodes were stitched onto the heart that post operatively were used to induce fast irregular heart beats.

READ AVC’s extensive REPORT on BHF funded experiments   

FOLLOW us on Facebook

avatar of the starter
Anti-Vivisection Coalition UKPetition StarterThe Anti-Vivisection Coalition (AVC) is an international animal rights organisation calling for the abolition of animal experiments. AVC is an international organisation - with representation in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and France - calling for an end to the use of animals in experiments. We believe animals are not objects to be used in experiments. - We are an animal rights organisation who believe all species should be treated with respect. As such we stand against - and work towards the end of the exploitation of non-human animals. - We are democratic organisation pursuing mainstream opinion and gaining the majority support of the people. Consequently AVC reject the extreme left and right and do not condone any form of political violence. UK - www.stopvivisection.org.uk / info@stopvivisection.org.uk Netherlands and Belgium - www.stopdierproeven.org France - www.contrevivisection.org
Media enquiries

The Decision Makers

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive, British Heart Foundation
Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive, British Heart Foundation
Chief Executive British Heart Foundation
Responded
“The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is committed to winning the fight against cardiovascular disease by developing better treatments and cures for cardiovascular conditions. As part of this work we support essential research using cells grown in a laboratory, computer models, and human volunteers. Where these techniques are not feasible, our funded research may involve animals. We funded this study to improve a pacemaker treatment for people suffering from severe heart failure – a debilitating condition that ruins the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, and millions across the world. For patients diagnosed with severe heart failure the chances of surviving for more than five years are worse than most forms of cancer. These studies must be carried out in animals before they can be assessed in clinical trials in heart failure patients. The electrical wiring and size of a dog’s heart is very similar to a human heart, allowing the researchers to mimic how pacemakers might behave in patients. Experiments in smaller animals would not allow direct translation to humans. This study offers the best chance to predict how pacemakers might improve heart function before trials in heart failure patients. There is currently no alternative that could be used to carry out this potentially life-changing research. For more information on why our research sometimes has to involve animals, please see a blog by our Medical Director, Professor Peter Weissberg. We only fund research involving animals where there is no alternative and we’re committed to reducing the number of animals in research. However, completely replacing all animals in research is not yet possible. There is no alternative method that can reproduce the complicated working of our hearts and circulatory systems. The large majority of animals in our research are mice or rats, but sometimes we need to fund research using other animals. Of the many hundreds of life-saving research projects we’ve funded over the last five years, 0.3 per cent have involved dogs. We require researchers to apply the highest standards of animal welfare at all times whether working in the UK or overseas. Every application for research funding goes through a rigorous independent review procedure to ensure the use of animals is absolutely necessary. Funding animal research is not a decision we take lightly. But the majority of life-saving medical advances millions of heart patients benefit from today involved animal research. And, while there are no feasible alternatives, we see animal research as essential in making the medical breakthroughs that could help millions more patients. ”
BHF Supporter Services
BHF Supporter Services
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Professor Peter Weissberg (Medical Director British Heart Foundation)
Professor Peter Weissberg (Medical Director British Heart Foundation)
Medical Director British Heart Foundation

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Petition created on 6 September 2014