We have written a letter to Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Gove, asking for an urgent review of the use of dogs in UK experiments. Since becoming Environment Secretary, Gove has announced a number of measures to improve the welfare of dogs in the UK. This includes a ban on shock collars and the end of third-party puppy sales. Gove has also introduced stricter sentences for people who abuse animals.

But Home Office stats show that thousands of experiments on dogs are still carried out in UK laboratories every year. We want the government to build on their good work and end the suffering of dogs in cruel and unnecessary experiments in UK laboratories for good.

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, said: “With increasing evidence that dogs are a very poor predictor of how humans will respond to drugs, and the continual advancement in more humane and human-relevant alternatives, the time has come to rethink the use of dogs in UK experiments. We urge the government to step up and demonstrate to the world that the UK’s claim to be a nation of animal lovers is real.”

As part of our Lead the Way campaign to end the use of dogs in UK experiments, we need you to sign our petition calling for a government debate on these cruel and outdated tests. Thank you to everyone who has already signed. For those who haven’t, it isn’t too late to help save thousands of dogs from a lifetime of suffering. Please sign the petition here.