Please see link - Charities that conduct or fund animal experiments

I’m running The London Marathon for Replacing Animal Research, funding science based and reliable research which benefits humans as much as animals!

Animal research (vivisection) does not translate to humans so it isn't a 'necessary evil'. In labs and universities in the UK, around 3 million animals, including dogs and cats, are caged, restrained and forced to endure excruciating experiments, before being killed, every year. Anything from household products, drugs, chemical and biological weapons, etc, are tested on them for no good reason and in many cases, just out of curiosity.

If we look at pharmaceutical testing alone, over 92% of drugs that pass animal tests go on to fail human trials, often causing harm or death to humans. Thalidomide and Vioxx are two well known examples.

For as long as animal experiments continue to take precedence over the reliable, science led alternatives, the treatment of illness in humans will continue to be held back. Replacing Animal Research funds these alternatives, helping to drive the change that is needed in order to detect illness earlier in humans, create effective treatments and end the archac, evil and pointless use of animals.

The New Approach Methods (NAMs) available, such as organ on a chip, in vitro and in silico use human biology based technology instead of animals.

The results are reliable, unlike animal experiments, and they are often cheaper, which is relevant because tax payers money is used to fund animal experiments. However, despite the alternatives having a higher success rate, being available and ethical, vivisection is a profitable industry that those who have built their livelihoods and reputations on do not want to come to an end, no matter how many humans are harmed by it.

There is an *animal methods bias meaning that in order for researchers to be published in journals and receive grants/funding, they are often forced to carry out animal experiments, even when they know that the don’t need to.

*Dr Pandora Pound explains this in more depth in her book, Rat Trap: The Capture of Medicine by Animal Research – and how to Break Free.

I’ve felt compelled to advocate for real science from the age of about six, accompanying my mum and her friend on educational/outreach stalls that they organised in Luton town centre. I helped hand out leaflets about the failings of animal experiments and listened to their conversations with the many people who stopped to engage. My mum worked for The Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research for many years and I was privileged to spend time with Dr Gil Langley and other esteemed scientists throughout my childhood, who were all advocating for safe and effective science in place of redundant animal experiments.

I attended marches on World Day for Animals in Laboratories and I took every opportunity to speak about this issue with my peers and teachers at school, submitting my GCSE Art project expressing the hopelessness and despair of animals in laboratories compared to the loving homes or habitats that they should be living their lives in.

Organisations advocating for reliable science have no choice but to support the three R's which aim to 'Replace, Reduce or Refine' the use of animals in research. Of course something that is ineffective should be replaced entirely, not reduced, but we have to support them in this by donating when we can, writing to our MP's, signing petitions calling for Animal Experiments to be debated in parliament time and time again, and raising awareness. The majority of people wrongly believe that animals are not tested on in the UK or that it is necessary and saving lives as many charities will wrongly have you believe .

Thank you for reading and all donations and shares are massively appreciated! I’ve said many times throughout my life that whatever I’m going through is nothing compared to what the animals imprisoned and tortured in labs, or breeding facilities such as MBR Acres in Huntingdon, go through 24/7. Marathon training is hard but I’m very grateful to be able to raise awareness and reach people I otherwise wouldn't have, and all funds raised for Replacing Animal Research will be well spent.

Also, please wish me luck as I will definitely need it!