HEAD ON
August 2018
I must say I do not agree with Lynette Deuter and her comments about C. Pierson regarding the Sunday Night program 'Head to Head' last month.
C. Pierson had it exactly correct and I also saw the follow up letter from A. Hodges who also agreed that she was right.
How could anyone support Ms Deuter who obviously condones terrible experiments on living dogs, or any animals for that matter?
Stating that what the experimenter was doing was “exuberant and extraordinary” should have been referred to as the ravings of a mad scientist.
G. Hannah
UNALTERED STANCE
July 2018
In response to “Exuberant and extraordinary” (Watch, 22/7/18), I wish to clarify that I recorded the program Head to Head on Sunday Night on June 17 so I am quite clear on what I said when writing my letter, “Sickened at the sight”, and it was supported by A. Hodges in her letter, “Shocking viewing”.
My factual comments clearly illustrated the cruelty behind this shocking torture of animals in these head transplanting experiments and I am appalled that Lynette Deuter could condone such atrocities. Nothing can justify torturing animals in the name of science and no end could justify the means.
Christine Pierson President, Cats Assistance To Sterilise Kensington Park
Shocking viewing
July 2018
I absolutely concur with C.Pierson and I refused to watch this horror program, Head to Head. The reason is that being an antivivisectionist of 50plus years, I have been well aware of some of the shocking, barbaric and cruel experiments in relation to head transplants using monkeys, including chimpanzees, for many decades. \It shocks me that there are "Frankenstein" insane scientists in this world, who are so lacking in any feelings, empathy or compassion, that they could spend their lives on this sort of unacceptable research. And I wonder who funds this monstrosity, the taxpayer?
There should be a line over which no one can cross when it comes to experimentation using animals. The terrible truth is that Ethics Committees don't know about private research going on behind closed laboratory doors, and therefore can't oversee it.
A. Hodges
Sickened at the sight, “Head to Head”
July 2018
I was sickened and horrified by the segment “Head to Head” on Sunday Night 17 June; not by the head transplantation of a human, who was in full knowledge of what he was doing and who had given his full consent.
What sickened and horrified me was the callous attitude of the neurosurgeon who was clearly supportive of cutting off a living monkey’s head and transplanting it.
Following scenes showing poor little dogs walking on wheels after obviously having their spinal cords severed in shocking experiments was heartbreaking.
Apart from the agony that these suffering animals had been through it was obvious that the particular “success” dog was still wobbling and damaged.
The atrocities being performed behind the closed doors of laboratories, in the name of medical research, should be exposed on Sunday Night,not the glorification of cruel experimenters on our fellow creatures.
C Pierson
Very disturbing facts
March 2018
The article "The monkeys that are dying to help us live," failed to point out some very disturbing facts about animal experimentation. Primates have 98.4% DNA like humans, but the differences are huge in biological terms, for example they are immune to HIV aids, hepatitis B and malaria.
25 years of testing on primates has failed to produce vaccines, treatments or cures for aids. Medicines are species specific, what works for animals can be toxic for humans and often cause hospital deaths. Animal testing laws are 50 years old and the science behind it is 150 years old.
Today, just two non-animal advances are computer simulations and micro-dosing which can replace animal safety tests.
Think of the thousands of animals species that were tested for Thalidomide side effects, with disastrous deformities on human babies. The arthritis drug Vioxx caused heart failure and death in humans .Surely instead of breeding animals for experimentation it is time to put an end to the cruel outdated, archaic practice.
Diane Cornelius