Portsmouth woman launches petition to end 'horrific torture' of dogs in France after law change allows laboratory testing

A WOMAN is campaigning to stop the ‘horrific torture’ of dogs in France after an amendment to a law was agreed allowing canines to be sold to animal testing laboratories for experimentation.

A change to laws protecting animals against use for scientific purposes was recently passed by the French government, effectively giving the greenlight to dog breeders to sell 'surplus stock' to the laboratories.

Pet breeders are allowed to sell dogs to the laboratories without being registered or any further checks being made following changes to the law, known as Decree no. 2020-27 of March 17, 2020.

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Adela Routledge, from Portsmouth, has started a petition to change the law and stop the suffering.

Writing on Change.org, she said: ‘Hundreds of dogs of all breeds are undergoing avoidable, horrific suffering and torture, eventually dying in agony and all for vain human purposes.

‘The dogs are restrained on their backs and experimented on whilst still awake. Medications are tested on them, they are injected with viruses and poisoned so that the symptoms and resulting damage can be studied.

‘These poor dogs urgently need our help and I plead with you to please sign this petition in an attempt to put an end to this heartbreaking animal torture.’

The animal rights group One Voice has also submitted an appeal to France's president to call for a stop to the situation.

Speaking to The News, Adela added: ‘I can honestly say it broke my heart when I heard what was happening. I knew I had to do something to try and help.

‘We are only at the start with just over 600 signatures so far but I am determined to keep this going and get as many as I possibly can. The signatures the petition has received so far have come from animal lovers all over the world.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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