Category: Animal Rights News

We must reject extremism

  Today's Pop Quiz:   What kind of social activism involves: Stalking persons at home and screaming “murderer” through bullhorns Issuing “wanted” posters listing home addresses Thinly veiled (or not so thinly veiled) suggestions that their targets should be murdered Razor packed letters and death threats Adherence to the motto "by all means necessary" And … Continue reading We must reject extremism

Defending Against the Inaccurate (and sometimes downright false)

Each year, as the rainy season returns to Oregon, so too does another all-too-predictable event: new claims of abuse leveled against my employer the Oregon National Primate Research Center. Nearly every fall, a small animal rights organization called Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) fuels their yearly “National Primate Liberation Week” with alarming press releases accusing … Continue reading Defending Against the Inaccurate (and sometimes downright false)

USDA gives Primate Products, Inc. the all clear

Last week Allyson Bennet wrote about how animal rights groups often misrepresent the facts in order to further their agenda of ending the use of animals in medical research, citing the example of a campaign against Primate Products, Inc. The USDA inspection report has now been published and confirms that no non-compliant items were identified … Continue reading USDA gives Primate Products, Inc. the all clear

Speaking Up: Confronting Misrepresentation

Animal activist groups often depend upon sensationalized and misrepresentative stories about laboratory animals to achieve media coverage.  The response to these stories illustrates great public interest in how and why animal research is conducted. Unfortunately, these stories frequently perpetuate distorted views about the goals and conduct of the vast majority of animal research. As such, … Continue reading Speaking Up: Confronting Misrepresentation

Leicester – The New British Battleground?

Back across the pond, in Leicester (pronounced "les-ter"), animal rights activists are warming up for a battle against a new £15 million (around $24 million) biomedical facility which the University of Leicester is building. Looking through the local rags, an interesting article came up in "this is Leicestershire" from a reporter who took a look … Continue reading Leicester – The New British Battleground?

Symposium Explores Animal Rights Tactics, Responses

On Saturday April 24, 2010, the American Physiological Society sponsored a symposium on Trends in Animal Rights Activism and Extremism. This event, attended by about 100 people,  was part of the Experimental Biology 2010 meeting, which was recently held in Anaheim, California. In introducing the symposium, session chair Bill Yates noted the importance of animal … Continue reading Symposium Explores Animal Rights Tactics, Responses

“What Drives ‘animal researchers’ Like Me?”

As World Week for Animals in Laboratories (a week of animal rights misinformation) comes to a close, we have a guest post from Nancy Haigwood, director at Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC). This piece reflects well the frustration felt by many scientists about animal rights activists misrepresent the noble cause of scientists who work … Continue reading “What Drives ‘animal researchers’ Like Me?”