Hundreds sign petition to stop animal slaughter at QUB

In the growing controversy surrounding QUB’s animal research, an online petition has been set up.

The ‘stop animal testing at Queen’s University Belfast’ petition was set up only yesterday and has already collected 644 signatures and are well on their way to the target of 1,000 in under 24 hours.

The signatures opposing the ‘animal slaughter’ at the university are as wide ranging as Argentina and Germany.

Freedom of Information requests submitted by The Tab to every university in the UK have shed light on the murky world of vivisection, revealing that 1,329,013 animals were killed by UK universities last year. These included dogs, cats, pigs, badgers and monkeys, and QUB was amongst the worst offenders. 

QUB results show: 

• 12,508 animals killed by the university last year
• A massive 10,922 mice
• 1,538 rats
• 39 guinea pigs 
• and NINE bunnies

This was then picked up and run as a front page ‘exclusive’ by the Belfast Telegraph earlier this month.

Most of the students we contacted in relation to the results seemed shocked and surprised at the extremely high levels of animal testing at the university.

Third year accountancy student Andrea McDonnell said “I didn’t have a clue about it at all! To be honest, I didn’t even know they did those kind of experiments at Queen’s.

“I would definitely support the petition”. Third year politics student Fiona Montgomery agreed, saying “If it’s live animals that are being killed it’s totally wrong”.

However, some students disagree with the petition against animal slaughter. Sociology student Jane Semple told us; “I’m not against animal testing as long as it’s not cruel and the research is necessary. As it stands I disagree with the petition”

When contacted by The Tab Belfast for a response, QUB declined to comment.

Shocked by the bunny-killing antics of our university? Tweet us your response @TheTabBelfast