Animal rights activists protest forced swim tests at Bristol university

A PETA activist dressed as a “mad scientist” held a protest outside a University of Bristol building on Wednesday against the institution’s use of rats and mice in forced swim tests.

A man named by campaigners animal cruelty PETA, as “Dr Killsalot” or the “Head of Animal Torture”, stood before a table outside Beacon House on Queen’s Road, wearing a sooty laboratory coat, goggles, and gloves.

A banner that read “Bristol Uni: End the Mad Science. Drop the Forced Swim Test”, could be seen by three large water-filled cylinders with “rats”, and smoky test tubes.

The protest was organised by animal cruelty campaigners, PETA on World Day for Laboratory Animals.

The global campaign group has criticised the university’s testing on rats and mice, where they are often subjected to near-drowning for scientific research. PETA says rats are often killed after the experiments, before studying their brains.

The university says it only uses rats for forced swim tests when “absolutely necessary” but the practice has been dropped at a number of universities across the UK, and the Home Office recently announced its intent to eliminate forced swim tests in the near future.

“The University of Bristol is giving the green light to the torture of vulnerable rats and mice by allowing this mad science to continue,” said PETA senior campaigns manager Kate Werner.

“PETA is calling on experimenters to drop this cruel, archaic test and switch to superior, human-relevant methods.”

Rueben Scheetz, an anti-vivisection campaigns leader for PETA who was at the protest on Wednesday, told Bristol24/7: “World Day for Animals in Laboratories has to exist because institutions like the University of Bristol continue to use mad science.

“They insist on using it despite the fact that it’s cruel to the animals and that it is proven to not work.

“They drop rats or mice into inescapable cylinders of water. They leave them to struggle with the experience of. near drowning before eventually removing them and killing them. This could be by decapitation in the past or by other methods.

“This is despite more than 400 scientists, academics, medical and veterinary practitioners calling on them to stop using this test.

“It is despite the Home Office releasing a statement that they plan to eliminate this in the near future. It is despite the student body, the university’s largest source of funding, voting to condemn the test. They continue to do it anyway.

“We are simply asking them to follow the science, to follow basic moral practice, and to stop using the forced swim test as so many other universities already have. They find themselves in the complete minority of universities who continue to use this.”

Speaking to Bristol24/7 in April, Evelyn Welch, vice chancellor of the university said: “I recognise there are differing views about the use of animals in research, including concerns around whether it is ethical.

“I know first-hand how strongly people feel about this, especially the use of forced swimming.

“The University of Bristol has a successful track record of translating scientific discoveries into real-world advances. Wherever possible we rely on non-animal methods.

“When these are not suitable to address the scientific gaps, and therefore only when absolutely necessary, we use animals in research to improve our understanding of health and disease in both humans and animals.

“This includes cardiovascular and cancer research, diseases associated with infection and immunity and, in the case of forced swimming, significant advances in the understanding of stress-related disorders.”

A spokesperson for the university added: “We are committed to a culture of openness and transparency regarding the research carried out here at Bristol, ensuring the animals are treated with compassion and respect.

“We keep up to date with the latest thinking on all aspects of research using animals (including advances in welfare) and have robust and thorough ethical review processes in place for every project.”

Main photo: Jodie Welton

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