Guest guest Posted August 29, 2007 Report Share Posted August 29, 2007 This poor soul will undergo many invasive tests, including brain surgery to permanently inflict not only an immense amount of pain, but brain damage. Please help him. They've already allowed cameras in (to show positive relationships with the animals, of course), so a campaign in spite of it might help. 'Save Felix' from Oxford Vivisectors In a desperate attempt to gain positive publicity in the face of opposition to their plans to build a new animal testing facility, Oxford University recently allowed cameras into its lab to film Felix, a macaque monkey scheduled to undergo invasive surgery on his brain and a long succession of tests. Although the university put on a show in front of the cameras to try to convince the public that primates are willing participants who have control over their environment, nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, Felix can expect months or even years of torment and suffering before being killed. “Conditioned” through a ruthless process of deprivation, Felix will also be brain damaged and forced to undergo painful procedures at the hands of a notoriously callous experimenter who has been heavily criticised by other neuroscience experts. Considering that the Home Office counts the deliberate infliction of brain damage on monkeys as only "moderate severity", but has granted Oxford a licence allowing "substantial severity", there is no telling how much agony Felix will have to endure. Every year, over 10,000 primates just as intelligent and sensitive as Felix are caged in European laboratories and deprived of the deep social bonds and the rich natural environment on which their wellbeing depends. Still worse, they face a litany of devastating experiments, including being poisoned, restrained, cut open, addicted to drugs, induced to suffer strokes, blinded, given diabetes or cancer, infected with HIV, forced to endure Parkinson's-like symptoms or having their brains deliberately damaged. PETA US investigators have documented countless incidents in which primates have been driven insane by confinement and fear of cruel procedures. Primates, who can experience anxiety, fear, frustration and pain, often become so depressed that they repeatedly circle around their cages and resort to mutilating their own bodies. Learn what neuroscientists have to say about animal experiments at Oxford.At the time the BBC film was aired, Felix was slated to undergo surgery on his brain. If this invasive surgery hasn't already started, it will begin any day now. At this moment, it is uncertain how long Felix will be allowed to live. All that we do know is that Felix is being held and deprived of a natural existence. If we don't act now, Felix will continue to suffer and he will die without ever having seen the outside world or lived a natural life. Although it’s too late to stop Felix going into the lab, we also have a chance to stop other animals facing that terrible prospect. The European Union is reviewing its law on animal experiments and any changes they make will apply across all the countries of the EU. A recent PETA opinion poll found 43% of the British public want the UK government to support a European ban on animal experiments causing any suffering to animals, while a further 34% want a ban on experiments causing the most suffering. With strong public support, we can pressure the politicians to take action. You Can Help:It's not too late to save Felix if we act now – and it’s not too late to stop other animals suffering. Please write to the Home Secretary, using the form below. Take Action on This Issue Dear Rt Hon. Jacqui Smith (Edit Letter Below)I, the undersigned, hereby request that the UK government help release Felix. Please revoke the licence approving the experiments being conducted on Felix and discharge him from the controls of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act so that he can be released immediately to an accredited sanctuary, which PETA has already prepared for his arrival. Every year in the UK alone, thousands of nameless primates are caged, poisoned, restrained, cut open, brain damaged and subjected to numerous other painful, distressing and completely unnecessary procedures. To prevent more animals suffering like Felix, I urge the UK government to set the objective of ending animal experimentation in the UK. I also urge you to support the following measures in the forthcoming review of EU legislation on animal experiments: - Ending the use of all primates in all experiments. - Ending all experiments causing substantial suffering to any animals - a position favoured by 77% of the British population according to a recent PETA-commissioned poll. Sincerely,[Your name] By signing up here and giving us your details, we're taking that as acknowledgment that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy. "Think occasionally of the suffering of which youspare yourself the sight" Albert Schweitzer Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join 's user panel and lay it on us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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