NEWS RELEASE

31ST JANUARY 2017

CRUELTY FREE INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNS CABINET DECISION THAT WILL ALLOW

ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS TO TAKE PLACE IN MAURITIUS

Cruelty Free International has today criticised a decision taken by the

Cabinet Office that will allow experiments on animals to take place in
Mauritius, claiming that it will inflict even further suffering on the
country's primate population, which is likely to be the main species
used in research.

The Cabinet Office decision, made on 27th January 2017, "_has agreed
to the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security promulgating the
Animal Welfare (Experiment on Animals) Regulations under the Animal
Welfare Act, to enable experiments to be carried out on animals." _(1)

Mauritius is already one of the world's largest suppliers of monkeys for

research. Tens of thousands of monkeys, many of whom were captured from
the wild, are confined in large-scale facilities across Mauritius; their
offspring exported to laboratories around the world. (2)

MICHELLE THEW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CRUELTY FREE INTERNATIONAL states:

"_Allowing animal experiments to take place in Mauritius will further
tarnish the country's international reputation as a 'paradise island'.
The Government should be taking measures to reduce the suffering
currently inflicted on Mauritian monkeys, not increasing it by allowing
the establishment of animal laboratories."_

Cruelty Free International is also concerned that to avoid the growing

public criticism of animal experiments and attempts to impose stricter

restrictions on the import and use of primates within the European
Union, European animal research companies may be looking to set up
primate research facilities in countries, such as Mauritius, where there
are less restrictions in place.

Our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom, primates share many
of the important characteristics of human beings. They are intelligent
and highly evolved animals with complex behavioural and social needs.
Yet, there exists no local or international legislation protecting the
primates of Mauritius although the species is listed on Appendix II of
the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Primates are used in fundamental research, including studies in

neurological, drug addiction, maternal deprivation and other conditions.
Many of these experiments involve implanting electrodes, causing brain
lesions or making the animals dependent on various drugs. This can often
result in substantial pain and suffering. Primates are also used in
toxicity (poisoning) tests where they are forced to consume, inhale or
be injected with chemicals and may experience adverse effects such as
vomiting, internal bleeding, organ failure and even death.

In addition to ethical objections to animal experiments, Cruelty Free

International also highlights the strong scientific arguments against
the use animals in research. Because of biological differences between
humans and other species, as well as the unnatural conditions in which
the animals are forced to live, the results of such research cannot be
safely and reliably extrapolated to humans.

The development of alternative methods to using animals is a growing

scientific endeavour. Due to innovation in science, animal tests are

being replaced in areas such as toxicity testing, neuroscience and drug
development. There are now humane and superior alternatives to using
monkeys in experiments, including a wide range of more human-relevant
approaches to studying, understanding and ultimately contributing to the
treatment and cure of many diseases. For example, an innovative
technique called microdosing can be safely used in human volunteers to
measure how very small doses of new drugs behave in the human body.
Another alternative includes using human cells, including blood and
liver cells.

The Cruelty Free International campaign has received widespread national

and international support. Concerns about the cruelty and suffering
involved in the trade in monkeys have been expressed from around the
world, including in Mauritius, by scientists, wildlife experts,
politicians and socio-cultural groups as well as members of the public.
Prominent Indian politician, Mrs Maneka Gandhi, and internationally
renowned primatologist, Dr Jane Goodall, have also voiced their
concerns.