URGENT: ASK CLINTON TO INCLUDE RATS, MICE AND BIRDS IN AWA, NOW !

[Guest guest]

VERY URGENT: ASK CLINTON TO INCLUDE RATS, MICE AND

BIRDS IN AWA, NOW !!!

 

From HUMANElines <humanelines

--- Issue #114 --- October 11, 2000

 

CONGRESS BLOCKS ACTION FOR LAB ANIMALS:

The National Association for Biomedical Research estimates that

23 million mice, rats, and birds were used for medical research in

1999, making up over 95% of all laboratory animals.

Historically, these animals have been excluded

from protection under the Animal Welfare Act, giving them virtually

 

NO protection. Compounding this tragedy is the expectation that the

numbers of mice, rats, and birds used in research are expected to

grow by 50% in the next three to five years. Last week, we reported

on the momentous victory for lab animals that came when the USDA

settled a lawsuit by agreeing to include mice, rats, and birds in its

definition of Animal, finally giving them protection under the

Animal Welfare Act.

 

However, just as this historic settlement was

reached, a legislative " rider " blocking USDA from changing its

definition of animals was added to the FY 2001 Agriculture

Appropriations bill, which will soon go to President Clinton's desk.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact the White House TODAY and

urge President Clinton, in his final budget negotiations with

Congressional leaders, to fight this rider by insisting on language

that will preserve the settlement that recognizes mice, rats, and

birds as animals. (Sample letter enclosed below.)

 

Email President Clinton at:

 

Please use Form Email, a more effective way to send an email:

 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Mail/html/Mail_President.html

 

(or : president )

 

and FAX:202-456-2461

and CALL: 202-456-1414 (switchboard) /

and CALL : 202-456-1111 (comments)

----

 

Sample letter:

 

Dear President Clinton,

 

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreed to modify

its definition of the word " animal " so that rats, mice, and birds

would finally be covered under the Animal Welfare Act. This would

affect more than 20 million rats, mice, and birds, who comprise 95

percent of all animals used in labs each year. However, the

biomedical industry has succeeded in blocking this action by getting

an amendment attached to the FY2001 Agriculture Appropriations bill,

which would deny USDA the ability to change the definition of

" animal " in any regulations pertaining to the Animal Welfare Act.

 

Please fight this anti-animal amendment by insisting on language that

will protect mice, rats,and birds in your final budget negotiations

with congressional leaders.

 

Sincerely,

your name and address