The Vigil & Struggle Continue...Next Vigil-Protest: 3/10, Wed....PS: Behind the Scenes....

[Guest guest]

Dear Animal Companions, Advocates, Vigilers, Lovers & Liberators:

 

The Vigils continue into March as we struggle to stop the exploitation, harming and killing of animals in pseudo-scientific research projects at UCSF, as well as effect a more humane and progressive health-care system for humankind. Following are the upcoming Vigil-Protest dates for March:

 

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL: March 10 (Wednesday), 4:30 PM (TO AROUND 7 PM) (Bring candles & canine companions, if you wish.)

(If you bring a candle, please bring a candleholder to shield

the flame and catch the wax drippings.)

 

DAYLIGHT VIGIL-PROTEST: March 25 (Thursday), 11:30 AM (TO ABOUT 1 PM)

 

 

The candlelight vigil at UCSF in early February was a peaceful protest on a pleasant winter night. First there were just two of us; then two more appeared, one a toddler of 15 months (whom the mother has been nourishing on a vegan diet, as well as breast-feeding); then there was one who came on a bike; then came 3 dogs with their human companion/guardian - making 9 (w/ 3 candles) - and lastly, an incredibly nice UC police officer who appeared towards the end of the vigil. In brief, it was a very special night that saw people join in peaceful but adamant protest against UCSF's abuse of animals. To view photos, please see:

 

 

http://www.caityandstefan.com/ucsf_feb04_01.jpg

http://www.caityandstefan.com/ucsf_feb04_02.jpg

http://www.caityandstefan.com/ucsf_feb04_04.jpg

 

Last Thursday 2 Vigilers weathered the cold, wind and intermittent rains amid the monolithic buildings of the UCSF campus on Parnassus Avenue in San Francisco. Vigilers were prepared with plastic-covered signs, an umbrella that wasn't quite needed, and warm-enough clothing as they passed the one-and-a-half hours that they normally do (from 11:30 AM to 1 PM) in protest of UCSF's abuse of animals.

And thus the vigil-protests continue into March, 2004, and I invite you to join us as we speak up, not only for the animals' rights, but the rights of people to a more progressive and humane system of health care. For it is clear more than ever before that alternatives to the use of animals are available and more reliable than even the best devised protocols involving animals. With in vitro studies, advanced imaging technologies, epidemiology, volumes of information from clinical research, and more, there is little or no argument left for researchers when it comes to the use of animals in medical research. If you don't believe me, check out the websites of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine at http://www.pcrm.org and Americans for Medical Advancement at http://www.curedisease.com . Thus advocates for

animals have a more convincing argument than ever before to make the case for stopping the use of animals in research. My prediction: research using animals will soon meet its end - my guess, in the next generation.

And with that said, I hope you can make it to an upcoming vigil-protest as we approach that day when animals will not be exploited and killed in the guise of medical research, whether at UCSF or anywhere in the country - or world.

 

 

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO UCSF: UCSF is located at 513 Parnassus Avenue in San Francisco, easily reached by the 6-Parnassus bus or 43-Masonic bus, both of which stop in front of UCSF on Parnassus Avenue; or the N Judah streetcar - exit streetcar at Arguello, enter UCSF via entrance on Arguello and take elevator up to Parnassus Avenue, or walk back one block and then walk up the hill to Parnassus).

 

Bob O'Brien

(for the Vigil)

PS: BEHIND THE SCENES...Vigil for Animals, besides protesting/vigiling at UCSF, has written 2 letters to the Committee on Animal Research at the university. In one letter (of 1/17/2004) we questioned a proposed project using mice re the study of breast cancer. We encouraged the Committee to vote against the proposed project on "how environmental factors influence the development of breast tissue in mice" (quote from article in SF CHRONICLE, 10/14/2003). As we suggested, "epidemiological studies re girls and women living in the Bay Area, which has all of the environmental factors needed to conduct a viable research project, would readily lend helpful results, instead of misleading extrapolation from study of laboratory mice."

In another letter (of 10/26/2003) to the Committee on Animal Research, we asked them to explain what they were doing to curb violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act at UCSF. Instead of the Committee's response, UCSF Vice Chancellor Regis Kelly (to whom we copied the letter) wrote us back, telling us that he thought it was not "appropriate" that we have dialog with the Committee. Subsequently, with some helpful legal advice, we sent a letter to the vice chancellor to inform him that it was implicit in the federal Animal Welfare Act that there would be dialog between the Committee and the public. As the law states: "With respect to activities involving animals, the IACUC [institutional Animal Care & Use Committee, known as the Committee on Animal Research at UCSF]...shall....review, and, if warranted, investigate concerns involving the care and use of animals at the research facility resulting

from public complaints...."

To this date we have received no responses from the Committee - yet we are unphased. And we ask that you please share your letters of complaint to the Committee on Animal Research (and responses, too, if any) with us. With your letters we may be able to build a case for repudiating the University's lack of response to public complaints.

 

THINGS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT:

1) The 10 citations for violations of the Animal Welfare Act in 2003. Ask the Committee on Animal Research what they're doing to curb violations. (If you want a list of the violations, let us know and we'll mail you a copy.)

2) Cruel and unnecessary experiments on dogs at UCSF. (If you want a leaflet regarding dogs abused in experiments at UCSF, let us know and we'll send you a copy.)

You may address your letters to: Committee on Animal Research, UCSF

Laurel Heights, Ste 315

Campus Mail Box 0962

San Francisco, CA 94143-0962

 

In any case, the struggle continues - and it is a valiant one. I hope you can join us at one of the upcoming vigil-protests. - Bob O'Brien (for the Vigil)

 

 

Search - Find what you’re looking for faster.