26/10/18

Fifty Mice Will Live in Happy Homes, Instead of Dying in Labs

Every year thousands of animals are euthanised after being used for research, testing or teaching purposes (RTT) in New Zealand. In 2016 alone 62,401 animals were killed during or after being used for RTT. The New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS) and Helping You Help Animals (HUHA) set out to change this and their ‘Out of the Labs’ campaign is starting to have promising results.

Recently NZAVS and HUHA were asked to rehome fifty mice from Massey University after the institute heard the news about the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) supporting the rehoming of ex-RTT animals in NZ. These mice had been used for teaching purposes by ecology students, and in the past, they would have been gassed and killed.

“We were thrilled to be contacted by Massey University. This is the first group of animals that we have been offered to rehome since MPI publicly announced their support. Massey is setting a precedent for other universities and institutes around NZ. They are proving that it is possible to give these animals a second chance,” stated NZAVS Executive Director Tara Jackson.

HUHA is a no-kill animal shelter and has a lot of experience rehabilitating and rehoming institutionalised animals including ex-lab animals, ex-circus animals and ex-farm animals.

“These mice need minimal rehabilitation; they are surprisingly friendly and are adorable little animals. We’ve already rehomed 16 mice, and we still have a list of applicants wanting to adopt these animals, to screen,” Stated HUHA Director Carolyn Press Mckenzie.

“Even though both HUHA and NZAVS are strongly opposed to animal experimentation, there is no reason for the animals who are sadly still being used by the industry to be killed needlessly. We urge other institutes in NZ to follow Massey's lead and start giving as many animals as possible a second chance,” added Mrs Press Mckenzie.

NZAVS and HUHA are encouraging any institute in NZ who uses animals for research, testing or teaching purposes to contact them if they have animals needing rehabilitating and rehomed (email - nzavs@nzavs.org.nz). You can read more about their ‘Out of the Labs’ campaign here – outofthelabs.org.nz.

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