Labour commits to phasing out animal testing

This includes a ‘long-term objective to phase out animal testing entirely’. The manifesto covers many different areas in which animals are exploited and harmed, and contains detailed commitments for each. These include pledges to:

• Review the use of the whip in racing
• Enact the last Labour government’s proposed legislation regarding game bird cages, which would effectively end the use of cages for pheasants
• Phase out cages for all farmed animals by 2025
• End the badger cull
• Ban snares and glue traps
• Ban fur.

Says Animal Aid Director, Isobel Hutchinson:

‘We are greatly encouraged by these ambitious new proposals, which would make a huge difference for the millions of vulnerable animals who are exploited, harmed and killed at the hands of people.

‘We are especially heartened by the clear commitment to ultimately end animal testing, which is a vital measure that is so desperately needed and long overdue. As well as causing unthinkable suffering to animals imprisoned in laboratories, animal experimentation is simply poor science, since the results cannot be reliably translated to people.

‘We very much hope that other political parties will be inspired by these proposals, and will follow suit in committing to these important measures.’