§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what safeguards are applied by universities to ensure that cats and dogs used for the purpose of experiments are owned by, or have been legally obtained by those who supply them: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggControls on the source of commonly used laboratory animals, including the specific provision that cats and dogs are obtained only from the designated breeding establishments at which they were bred, are contained in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. They will be brought into force in January 1990, as part of the phased programme of implementation of the provisions of the Act.
It has long been the practice of Home Office inspectors to encourage laboratories to obtain supplies of animals only from reputable and legal sources and to take particular care where cats and dogs are involved. This advice was reinforced recently in additional guidance issued to laboratories including those at universities.