Here’s a roundup of this week’s biggest news stories related to animal research—all the recent media coverage you need to know right now to be the most effective activist for animals in labs.
What Do We Owe the Octopus?
Emily Mullin, 10/6/2023
“Some scientists say [there] is proof of sentience, the capacity to experience feelings and sensations.”
“The state of cephalopod science has prompted the United States National Institutes of Health to consider whether these animals–which also include squid, cuttlefish, and nautiluses–deserve the same research protections as vertebrates.”
“Currently, invertebrate animals are not regulated under the Animal Welfare Act in the US, nor are they included in national standards for laboratory animals in federally funded studies.”
“ . . . more researchers than ever are doing experiments on cephalopods.” Full Story →
Autopsy Found that Neuralink Implant “Ruptured” Monkey’s Brain and Neuralink Really Doesn’t Want You to See the Photos
Frank Landymore, 10/7/2023
“[Her] final hours were torturous . . . the monkey seized and vomited, lost control of her right leg, and shook uncontrollably. [She] also appeared to have trouble breathing, scratching at [her] throat and gasping for air. A postmortem revealed the extent of the damage. Leaked adhesive from the implant had inflamed the part of the brain that secretes cerebrospinal fluid. The effects were so severe that the rear of the monkey’s brain protruded from [her] skull, though how the cavity was created is unclear.”
“But as bad as all this sounds, we may still not even know the half of it, as the photos that document the trials are being kept secret….” Full Story →
Bears Are Smarter than Scientists Expected
Jess Thomson, 10/8/2023
“Recent research has found that some bear species are capable of using tools . . . a trait usually only associated with the upper echelons of intelligent animals.”
“ . . . black bears are also capable of learning the difference between concepts, such as primates and non-primates, and animals and landscapes. Additionally, they were able to link the number of objects seen [] to real-life numbers: for example, they could learn that three almonds in a picture corresponded to receiving three almonds in real life.”
“‘I do think bears are amongst the most flexible and clever species but there is so much we don’t know,’….”
“‘I am sure there are species whose intelligence we can’t appreciate because their minds are so different from our own and they have to solve very different problems.’….” Full Story →
Progress! California Passes Law to Expand Use of Non-Animal Alternatives in Testing Labs
Kitty Block & Sara Amundson, 10/11/2023
“The new law builds on one passed in 2000 that requires laboratories that test products such as pesticides, household products and industrial chemicals to replace animal tests with non-animal alternatives. By expanding the list of non-animal alternatives that laboratories are required to use, the new law ensures that more animal experiments will be replaced.”
“To ensure compliance and to better understand the true scope of animals used in experiments, the law includes a first of its kind mandate that laboratories submit an annual report to the state with the number and type of animals and alternatives they have used to test pesticides, food additives and chemicals.” Full Story →
Nearly 4,000 Beagles Were Rescued From Animal Testing A Year Ago & Families Are Celebrating The Victory!
Karen Lapizco, 10/10/2023
“Dogs like Franny, who spent her life at Envigo being forced to breed puppies to be sold to laboratories, and Enzo, a young puppy likely destined for a laboratory, are among the beagles who have underscored the significance of this major operation.”
“‘Dogs used in laboratories typically live short, painful lives. It’s heartbreaking to think about what would have happened to these beagles if Envigo had been able to sell them to laboratories.’” Full Story →
The Power of One
Rise for Animals, 10/12/2023
Frances Power Cobbe was a tenacious, savvy advocate who successfully motivated concern for animal experimentation among both the aristocracy and the public “all over the Western world”. No history of the anti-vivisection movement is complete without Cobbe and her legacy — proof that one person can make a transcendent, enduring difference. Full Story →