(From previous page)

Rats, guinea-pigs, rabbits, mice and other unfortunate animals are not only used erroneously as animal models of human disease, they are also the base upon which is propped gigantic fortunes for the animal breeding supermarkets who supply the laboratories with the means of performing their trickery, fraud and hocus pocus under the name of science. Notwithstanding the disgraceful endorsement of the swindle given by the RNZSPCA, the miracle of the age is that the public fall for it!

In defence of grant No. 2 the comments given by D.W. Girvan, Registrar of the University reads thus:

"A mechanic can repair a broken car engine because he knows the characteristics of normal operation of each component in the car. Everyone will recognise that their chances of successfully fixing a car engine is poor if they are unable to identify the malfunctioning component as a result of lack of knowledge of what each component should do. Unfortunately clinicians are expected to repair diseased, damaged or malformed humans, in many cases without knowledge as to what exactly has gone wrong and which component is at fault."

As Mrs Sands was quick to reply:

"The component mechanic will soon discover what is wrong with the faulty engine, but clinicians who have based their practise on rats, mice and guinea-pigs for the past hundred years at the expense of untold billions of lives and dollars might as well try mending bicycles from the study of sewing machine manuals. The machine engine analogy encapsulates the following false comparisons:

1. Between mechanical and non-mechanical, living systems;
2. between relevant and irrelevant working knowledge, for example comparing engine repairs based on knowledge of componentry with treating human disorders by way of veterinary background;
3. between systems having fixed standards and norms and those with varying standards and individual norms."

In acknowledging Mrs Sands' tenacious investigation we are honoured to give Prof. Croce the final word:

"The choice between different species of (laboratory) animal is illusory... the mouse, the rabbit, the guinea-pig are, convenient, because they are easy to keep ; cats and dogs because they are easily and cheaply obtainable: everything except the one element which ought to be the deciding factor: an animal having morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics applicable to man. Such an animal does not exist. To suppose that such extrapolation could be legitimate is the main reason for the failure and sometimes for the catastrophes which are inflicted upon us by modern medicine...

...Anti-vivisectionist thinking is much more scientific than the boasting of the vivisectors who do not realise that they live and function in a medieval climate of thought; besides they are too lazy or too greedy to break loose from a comfortable conformity and apply themselves to scientifically correct methods which are wrongly called 'alternatives' and are today largely obsolete, having been overwhelmed by a misleading methodology. The vivisectors like to present animal experimentation as a short cut to biological science, without however... having noticed that it leads them in the wrong direction."

(Cartoon Vivienne Sands)

Vivisectors Advertise their Craft

"The role of Animal Research in developing new drugs is the subject of a new video from the association of the British Pharmaceutical industry. The video for use in schools, is aimed at students aged between 12 and 16."
- Nursing Times 10/3/93 - Courtesy Cynthia O'Neill, U.K.

A world congress against vivisection

In February 1994. In New Zealand? No in Greece... organised by the Doctors in Greece for Responsible Medicine... Makes us wonder when the NZ doctors will come out of hiding! Break the silence! Take a stand! Shame on them for dragging their heels...

New Zealand and Australian Vivisectors Unite...

As the British vivisection community has amalgamated on major scale to combat the new abolitionist movement, so it follows that the New Zealand and Australian profiteers of "animal research" are marshalling their forces to combat up-and-coming generations, who, enlightened as their parents and grandparents never were, are champing at the bit to challenge the fraud and trickery perpetrated by a self-appointed hierarchy masquerading under the name of science.

On 1 July 1993 the Royal Society of New Zealand hosted a seminar of members and associates of a newly-formed affiliation known as ANZCCART, the Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching... which could be more truthfully called:

"The Australian and New Zealand Council for the safeguard and protection of the interests and profits of its members and associates."

Opened by the Minister of Agriculture John Falloon, himself a farmer, this bringing together of New Zealand's vivisection elite, represented over a dozen foundations, associations, pharmaceutical companies, private research centres, Crown Research Institutes using animals, all universities, the Health Research Council, the Royal Society of New Zealand... the Agricultural Chemical and Animal Remedies Manufacturers Association of NZ - and that public pacifier, sanitiser and opposer of bills to abolish vivisection - the RNZSPCA.

Prior to the big event the Royal Society purchased eleven copies of "Animal Research Takes Lives - Humans and Animals Both Suffer" ... from which they would undoubtedly be educated about the weight of opposition both from the public and from medical professionals (even from the vivisectors themselves) being voiced to the fraudulent use of animals carried out at the expense of:

• human health and
• efficient and ethical food production.

The statement below is taken from the agenda of this gathering:

"Animal welfare consciousness is increasing world-wide and this increasing sensitivity threatens New Zealand interests because of likely increased restrictions on animal use for human purposes. Institutions and organisations involved in animal use, or supporting that use, have a duty to participate in the debate about the limits which should be set on animal uses. ANZCCART is an excellent vehicle for maximising the benefits, or minimising the harm, of the animal welfare debate to New Zealand scientific, medical, veterinary agricultural interests. ANZCCART also provides opportunities for all interested parties to participate in reviewing and developing societal attitudes on the use of animals for human purposes."

Ensuing from this affiliation New Zealand can now expect a spate of vivisection-inspired advertising and publicity similar to that which is currently being bombarded over great Britain on major scale.

Meanwhile is has been announced that an international congress on bioethics is being held at Knox College, Dunedin from 22-26 November 1993. At this flash affair Peter Singer will speak on "research and development; resource issues"! All 'serious' anti-vivisectionists will be interested in what ensues from this gathering.