According to
APHIS (Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service), the division of the USDA
that theoretically inspects laboratories, there are 120,000 non-human
primates in American labs, 119 at Washington University alone.
The numbers are (without a doubt) much higher. Non-human primates are
supposedly so close to humans in their physiology that we cannot do without
them in medical research. (And, that's why over 90% of experiments are done
on rodents???) These lives need to be acknowledged.
1) Educate yourself on the use and
abuse of ALL non-human animals in laboratories. You might not consider this
actually "doing something" for the animals, but you'd be wrong. You don't
have to earn a PhD; just do some reading on your own. There are three
distinct advantages to being informed:
a) The
more you know, the better able you are to discuss the issue intelligently
with skeptics. It's a complex subject, and many
anti-vivisectionists believe laypeople can never really understand it enough
to argue it well. Nobody says you have to challenge a researcher to a
televised debate. Yet, you can educate yourself enough to feel
comfortable talking with other laypeople.
b) The more
you know, the more confident you become that research using animals is not
applicable to humans. Go to the following websites and pages for some
of the many specifics. The starred ones are specific to primates.
SPEAK
(originally SPEAC ~ Stop Primate Experiments at Cambridge ~ it has grown
into "SPEAK, The Voice for the Animals")
c) The more
confident you become, the more you realize the majority of
the opposition are following the leader, so to speak. Company reps,
deans of universities, even physicians will try to persuade you that animals
have furthered our study into disease and have improved our health. The
most striking thing about their argument is they always give
incorrect examples. They will always cite polio, but the
truth is monkeys impeded advancement by up to two decades. They may cite
research into childhood leukemia, which was also stymied by false
assumptions based on mice. These people are given a script, and they follow
it religiously. It makes you question why their script is so off.
IF animal research works, why cite so many false examples? Even
the AMA's White Paper on Animal Experimentation is filled with obvious and
outrageous lies.
2) Write letters to the universities
and other facilities that exploit non-human primates. This can also include
those companies, movies, and shows that use monkeys and other primates.
Often these animals are sent to research facilities when their acting stint
is over. (some
specifics)
3) Plan a demonstration or leafleting day
during that week. START has signs, and there's enough time to order
primate-specific literature before then. Or, download and copy literature
from various sites. Some sources include:
SAEN Fact Sheets,
AAVS,
IDA.
I will bring extra anti-vivisection literature to the October 9
meeting, for anyone who is sure they will be leafleting that week.
4) Take this opportunity to
educate your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. You
could tuck a leaflet in the door of everyone on your street. Do it at night
if you're not confident enough to discuss it if someone asks you. Talk with
people about what really goes on in labs. If you prefer, send a postcard or
short letter to family and friends you think might be receptive to (or who
really need educating about) primate issues. You don't have to use a
pre-printed leaflet. In fact, it might have more impact if you use your own
words. Be honest. Tell them what concerns you.
Some people
prefer using the ethical argument, some prefer the scientific, but most use
a combination. While the ethical argument will always hold true, no matter
how much science changes or what claims are made, it is impossible to make
an ethical argument to parents with a seriously ill child. They
don't care how many mice or dogs or chimpanzees die if they believe it
will help save their child. What they need to know is that
it won't save their child or anyone else's.
5) Ask Congress to permanently retire chimpanzees.
Give the
CHIMP Act
some real power.
Three general primate websites: