Background
- Evidence of shocking scientific shortcuts, breaches in Home Office licence conditions and inadequate caging conditions.
- Shocking tests in which rabbits were imprisoned in stocks for up to 8 hours whilst substances such as water, sugar solutions and morphine were injected into their ears. Other rabbits had extracts of rubber or plastic catheter implanted into the muscles of their shaved backs whilst guinea pigs had similar substances injected into or applied to their abraded skin.
- The Home Office sanction of tests for which non-animal methods were available.
- Poorly maintained rabbit cages. Many had bars missing and no bedding was provided. Many rabbits suffered from sore feet and abscesses.
- Many animals were gassed in a CO2 chamber that had a broken dial, making it impossible to assess the right dose of CO2 to ensure rapid and humane killing. At one point the cylinder ran out and was not replaced for weeks, which meant that staff were left to break the necks of hundreds of mice at a time
