ONE of the the world’s top universities has defied animal rights activists who tried to shut down its animal research facility.
Cambridge University in England said it would not be deflected from its groundbreaking work after being targeted.
Activists staged protests over the use of monkeys in research at its lab claiming all animals should not be used in research.
But Cambridge University responded by saying animals will continue playing a crucial role in its biomedical research which leads to life-saving treatments.
A University spokesman said: “Animal research plays an essential role in our understanding of health and disease and in the development of medical treatments.
“Without the use of animals, we would not have many of the modern medicines, antibiotics, vaccines and surgical techniques that we take for granted in both human and veterinary medicine.”
“Although animals will play a role in biomedical research for the foreseeable future, we aim to use the minimum number possible.
“We place good welfare at the centre of all our animal research and aim to meet the highest standards: good animal welfare and good science go hand-in-hand.”
Activists from Captive Animal Protection protested after Cambridge released figures showing there had been a small increase in the number of animals used in tests.
Spokesman Rachel Mathai said: “We are shocked and saddened by Cambridge University’s flippant attitude towards their use of animals for experiments.
“We urge Cambridge University to use its academic brilliance and move from inhumane, ineffective animal research to human-relevant research.”
