MICHAEL TOBEY Jennifer Clavin participates in
an animal rights march that commemorated World Week for Animals In
Laboratories.
By Christina Jenkins
Daily Bruin Contributor
Students for Animal Liberation marched from Westwood through
campus to the chancellor’s office Thursday, calling attention
to what the group alleges is the plight of animals in
laboratories.
The march coincided with World Week for Animals In Laboratories,
an international recognition which aims to encourage the public to
question the validity of animal experimentation.
“Animal (experimentation) in labs is such a hush-hush
subject that it is never really addressed,” said Erica
Sutherland, a second-year sociology student and member of SAL.
Richard Abbott, a retired high school teacher who attended the
event ““ and whose wife recently died of cancer ““
summarized the sentiments of many marchers.
“You cannot, by violent means, induce a condition in
animals artificially which occurs spontaneously in humans and
expect animals to be a replication of the human condition. I
certainly have no faith in cancer research.”
But proponents of animal research maintain that it leads to
cures for human diseases.
Last year, for example, UCLA researchers used mice to discover a
protein that slows the growth of cancerous tumors, and UCSF
researchers used monkeys to discover new possibilities for an HIV
vaccine.
Such marches occur every year during WWAIL, and UCPD spokeswoman
Nancy Greenstein said Thursday’s was typical.
Traffic was briefly halted when the marchers spilled from the
sidewalks onto Westwood Plaza and Charles E. Young Drive South.
Greenstein said the department didn’t want to create a scene,
and overlooked the short disturbance.
The group, consisting of approximately 50 activists, marched
through South Campus to the Murphy Hall office of Chancellor Albert
Carnesale.
Chanting “Nothing to hide? Let us inside,” the group
stood at the door of the chancellor’s office for five minutes
demanding he produce documents detailing the nature of animal
research at UCLA.
Carnesale had no comment on the protest, said spokesman Warren
Robak.
The march culminated at Meyerhoff Park, where speakers
questioned the merits of animal testing.
Dr. Ray Greek, a published author and practicing physician,
denounced the practice. Sutherland invited him to debate a UCLA
researcher on the scientific benefits of animal testing, but so far
the invitations have been declined, she said.
Some students disregarded the event.
“There’s so many protests, so many causes ““
you just don’t pay attention anymore,” said Leon
Bonney, a fourth-year political science student.