French citizens largely opposed to animal testing, suggests survey
A recent survey carried out in France reveals that citizens are largely opposed to the use of animals in scientific experiments. The results of the survey are based on the views of over 1000 citizens, aged 15 and over. Among the 64 per cent of respondents that disagreed with animal testing, 34 per cent totally rejected any form of animal testing. Some 78 per cent of respondents also expressed concern about the suffering caused by animal testing, while 86 per cent suggested that all types of testing that causes suffering to animals should be banned. When asked about testing on cats and dogs, 72 per cent of those interviewed called for a total ban of testing on these animals. According to 85 per cent of respondents, other forms of testing such as cell culture, computer simulation, and statistical models could be used as an alternative to animals in experiments. Furthermore, 60 per cent of respondents agreed that animal testing for cosmetic products should be banned. Some 76 per cent of interviewees considered that the use of animals for scientific purposes has been abused, while 70 per cent of respondents said that there is not enough governmental regulation in place to curb such testing. However, the survey also suggests that the situation is evolving in the right direction. In particular, the survey highlights the recent European Parliament approval of a conciliation agreement to begin phasing out the use of animals in the testing of cosmetic products and their ingredients. The survey was carried out by IPSOS, a marketing research company on behalf of OneVoice, a French animal rights organisation.
Countries
France