|
About Us
VERO is a University-based group established to oppose the University's
construction of a new animal research laboratory, and to campaign instead
for a more ethically responsible approach to biomedial research at Oxford.
Founded in the summer of 2006, it unites academic and administrative staff,
students and graduates in a broad range of disciplines. VERO is emphatically
in favour of medical progress, but believes that the ethical principles
underpinning it should be agreed by society as a whole, based on an open and
informed public debate.
VERO is committed to peaceful, lawful campaigning, and to defending the tradition of
intellectual freedom which has allowed enlightened, humane thought to flourish at
Oxford through the ages.
Why A New Group?
We are concerned that efforts to further the cause of humane alternatives
have been undermined by an unhelpful polarisation of the issue of animal
research, to the exclusion of any objective discussion of the real issues. We
feel it is time to call a halt to this confrontational approach. Instead, we
advocate working together to replace the old-established animal model – whether
maintained by the power of vested interests or institutional inertia - with
humane alternatives that are appropriate to a more ethically aware and
scientifically advanced age. An important step in this process is to
persuade our own University – as one of the leading academic institutions of
this country - to abandon its current plans for continuing animal research in
favour of becoming a centre of excellence for humane research.
Mission Statement
As members of Oxford University, we are strongly opposed to the University's
construction of a new animal research laboratory on both moral and
scientific grounds. Such research can subject animals to considerable pain, stress
and lasting harm. Equally, a growing body of evidence demonstrates that
animals are neither safe nor suitable models for studying human diseases. Given
the increasing availability of more sophisticated modern alternatives, we call on
- Oxford University to redirect the funds earmarked for the animal laboratory to much-needed human-based research, thus enhancing the University's reputation as a centre of enlightened and progressive thought
- The Government to conduct a genuinely independent evaluation of the scientific validity of animal experimentation. Such a course has been called for by 250 MPs (signatories of Early Day Motion 92) as well as by 83% of GPs, according to a recent poll.
|
|
LATEST:
Animal replacement in the news
Good news from the US; Advances in humane education; MOD ends goat experiments;
Another BUAV court victory; UK stores back cruelty-free initiatives
For these stories and more, see here.
PETA exhibition comes to Oxford
For details of this and other events in Trinity Term, see here.
Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research launches report
New report launched in Brussels by Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research / Humane Society International
www.endeuanimaltests.org
|
|