A PETITION calling for a university to stop using animals for experimental research has reached 1,000 signatures in a week.

Animal activist group End Vivisection Experiments (EVE) has created a petition for the University of Brighton to stop its animal experiments and find alternative methods.

Following its annual Freedom of Information (FOI) request, the group were told that the university held 260 mice and guinea pigs on site for research purposes in 2020.

Of those held on the premises, 239 were used for experiments and a further 1,273 were not used for experiments but were culled and their tissue was used where possible.

The Argus: Protests outside the university in 2020

The university said there was an increase in those not used for experiments in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The animals were reportedly used for medical research experiments with the objective of improving the quality of life for patients with various illnesses and disabilities. 

According to the group, the research includes force feeding pregnant mice alcohol to test what damage is done to the foetus when pregnant women drink, which results in the death of the mice.

Other experiments are said to involve making guinea pigs deaf by mutilating their ear drums - then trying to restore their hearing.

The Argus: Protests outside the university in 2020

EVE believes that such testing is unnecessary and has asked the university to use other methods to conduct their research.

"Vivisection is cruel, unethical, and actually teaches nothing about human health. EVE believes animals are not ours to use and experiment on," said a spokesman.

The group said they have called for the vice chancellor of the university for a meeting but have not had a response.

The university has stated that any research completed on animals is carried out in line with the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and that the facilities are inspected regularly by the Home Office.

It denied it carried out “testing” and said it “only supports the use of animals in research where their use can be justified on scientific, ethical and legal grounds, and where no alternative approaches are available”.

It said: “The university is fully committed to the principles of reduction in the number of animals used, refinement of our procedures and replacement of animals by using other techniques.”