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Anti-vivisection Society president Bette Overell leads marchers - including a shetland pony - through central Wellington yesterday on a march calling for the abolition of experiments on animals.

The pony was one of two carrying the messages: Liberate Laboratory Animals and Save us From Murder.

The march, from Bunny Street to Civic Square in Mercer Street, was organised by the Anti-Vivisection Society to mark World Day for Laboratory Animals, which falls on Sunday.

Mrs Overell told the marchers at Civic Square that hundreds of thousands of people all over the world would rally on Sunday to "oppose the most terrible, premeditated, institutionalised and counterproductive evil of our times - vivisection".

At a similar march in Wellington last year the society had started its petition to Parliament asking for vivisection to be abolished.

The petition, which now carries 40,000 signatures, says among other things that vivisection is directly responsible for such health disasters as vaccine tragedies, birth deformities and cancer.

It says vivisection is medical and scientific fraud promoted by the vivisection industry and is upheld and maintained by academic, political and commercial profiteers for financial gain.

Mrs Overell said young people all over New Zealand had been the most active in circulating the petition, which had a target of 100,000 signatures.

(Dominion 23-4-88)

Some impressions of the march

"Standing on the central library lawn (destination of the march) I heard shouting, turned around and saw hundreds of black and white skulls marching towards me... it was amazing and effective."
- Linda Chong

"Led by two Shetland ponies, and with a rousing call, we caught the attention and interest of the public."
- Lana Bromley

"A good march of extremely loud voice"
- Fiona Tait

"It was the most successful march voicing our views to the multitude of public on the sidewalks."
- John Overell

"A well-spirited march."
- Simon Cottle

"The WDLA march is always a gamble. This time nodding and smiling - the public were with us!"
- Bette Overell

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