Edinburgh kills more animals than any other university

Across the UK, British Universities are responsible for the deaths of 1.3 million animals, and Edinburgh is top of the league table for killing the majority of these. Not a league table to be proud of.

In a time of so much political division and debate, one issue which seems to remain largely uncontentious is that of animal testing. As an inhumane and avoidable part of the scientific process, cosmetic firms and researchers have begun to find alternative measures for experimentation and testing.

Except it seems, for universities such as Edinburgh, which seem to be stuck in the past in terms of animal testing.

It is shocking that Edinburgh University carries out more experiments on animals that any other university, and that most of these animals die from these tests.

The statistics pretty much speak for themselves- the Tab sent a Freedom of Information request to the university and this is what we discovered:

Edinbugh uses 175,000 rodents per year, and many other animals including wild cats, sheep, cows and deer.

Many animals are in great pain during the process of testing, and some do not survive.

In 2015, approximately 5% of animals died or were in severe pain during the studies, and many more had other side affects.

Perhaps the most chilling words in the statement released by the university were “the great majority … are euthanized at the end of the study”

If guinea pigs could speak they would say help

We are all well versed in the arguments against animal testing- that it is a cruel and inhumane process which doesn’t always reap the rewards which it claims to. It often produces results which don’t apply to humans, and there are many alternatives.

It raises a fundamental question about the value of animal life, which has been increasingly contentious with the rise of vegetarianism and veganism. Animals don’t have the ability to consent, and are put through huge amounts of pain for little gain.

So why isn’t more being done to combat Edinburgh University’s archaic treatment of living creatures? Surely this is something we as a student body cannot stand by?

Look at these sweet doggos in cages

The attitudes of the public and the Edinburgh student body are clearly against animal testing – but the university still continues to ignore the concerns and legitimate opinions of its students.

It is shameful that Edinburgh continues along this path of human, social and environmental destruction- not just in animal testing but through investment in fossil fuels, low working class intake, grants offered solely to men, stringent EUSA policies and a lack of compulsory consent classes.