The animal rights 'lone wolf' feared by the ferry firms

[Jazzy]

A campaign which led ferry companies to stop importing animals for medical research was masterminded by a single animal rights militant backed by just a handful of supporters.



Luke Steele managed to force ferry companies to stop carrying live animals destined for science laboratories simply by encouraging a small number of fellow activists to inundate the firms’ directors with emails and letters.



The firms were so nervous that 22-year-old Steele and his acolytes would unleash more extreme tactics against them, they gave in to the demands — partly because of his past involvement in a string of militant protests.



Just two companies now transport research animals into Britain after Stena Line joined P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways in halting the importation of cats, mice, monkeys and other animals for laboratories.



Several eminent scientists have described the campaign as a major blow to research into conditions such as muscular dystrophy and motor neurone disease.

Mr Steele and his comrades at the National Anti-Vivisection Alliance (NAVA), which he launched in May 2010, now plan to intensify their campaign against airlines still willing to transport animals for medical research — chief among them Air France.



Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ghts-lone-wolf-feared-by-the-ferry-firms.html



Question: Would you support this campaign? Why or why not.

 

[The Dragon Master]

I'm in two minds about Animal testing tbh. I hate it, but there is nothing better to test how a drug might react in a living system. Sure, there's computer programs that hypothesis how the drug may react, and maybe the drug acts differently in humans than animals, but unfortunately at the moment it's a necessity. If these people can come up with a better way in testing drugs, then I'm all for it, but the article says that it's halting possible crucial research into muscular dystrophy and motor neurone disease, and since there's no other way in testing drugs at the moment then the people behind this (although I absolutely understand why they are doing this) are maybe committing hundreds of people to a slow and painful death.



I understand the reasoning behind the argument by people who are against animal testing, and I understand the scientists point of view. So therefore, I can't condone this campaign or support it :\ To me personally, picking a side with what I believe/my morals about this would be, frankly, hypocritical.

 

[Evil Eye]

I would, on the simple condition that they become test subjects.

'cause Dragon has a point and there're plenty of humans, right?

(Don't laugh, I'm actually serious.)