22 May 2001

International Vivisectors' Conference Alarms Activists

Anti-vivisection campaigners are alarmed that Christchurch will be hosting an international meeting of animal researchers in August. The International Union of Physiological Sciences are having their World Congress in Christchurch from August 26th to 31st and thousands of scientists are expected to attend.

New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society spokesperson Mark Eden says many of the speakers are involved in pointless and cruel animal experiments.

'One of the featured speakers, Micheal Stryker from the University of San Fransisco, sews kittens eyes shut and drills holes in their skulls and inserts electrodes into their brains in sleep deprivation experiments. Other topics to be discussed at the conference include experimenting on the brains of cats and dogs, experimenting with electric shocks on erect rats penises, and studying the brains of genetically modified mice' said Mr Eden.

'We are appalled that the New Zealand scientific community is hosting a conference that features some of the world's most notorious vivisectors. Animal experiments are cruel and unnecessary. Inviting vivisectors to speak in Christchurch is a step backwards for science in this country.'

NZAVS will be launching a public campaign against the conference and has invited hundreds of anti vivisection campaigners from around the country, to come to Christchurch in August for a week of protests during the conference.

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