Rabbits cry at “River”
Can you imagine being born and raised in a small stainless steel cage? Then, living a life of captivity where you are the subject of lab experimentation on a daily basis. It sounds like something from a dystopian science fiction film. The unfortunate truth is that this is the life that rabbits experience today at the Charles River Laboratories. Publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, Charles River Labs is a massive animal testing corporation with locations across the globe. If you live in the United States, you may have one in your own backyard. Strategically tucked away in small residential communities, these animal labs are highly secured behind prison-style fences disguised by long driveways with manicured landscapes.
In the United States, Charles River Labs has 527 New Zealand White rabbits set aside for on-site breeding in order to grow their herd of 12,251 rabbits for lab experimentation. Behind these gates and out of sight from the general public is mass-produced cruelty. These sweet-tempered rabbits known for their distinctive ruby eyes are subjected to one of many painful toxicology testing methods. These include eye and skin irritation testing, injections, inhalation, and various studies where technicians are administering various substances through the rabbit’s nose, mouth, sexual organs, and anus. During an Animal Welfare Act Enforcement inspection, rabbits were found with skin lesions 4.5 inches deep and were given no medical care.(1)
A visit to the company’s website offers insight into their corporate approach to animals. Their product and services page offers a simple one-click order button where you can add a New Zealand White Rabbit to your shopping cart. What is the life of laboratory rabbits ordered online? First, they are bred in isolation without companionship. Then, they are packed and shipped as merchandise to the customer, a laboratory where the rabbit is imprisoned to a cage and tortured daily. If you dig deeper into the website, you will stumble upon the humane care poster page where you can download and printout an illustrated propaganda poster of a smiling lab technician with a cluster of happy lab animals. This poster includes the rabbits we have discussed along with the other animals that Charles River Labs uses in their facilities including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, monkeys, sheep, pigs, gerbils, and voles.
To learn more about the use of rabbits and other animals in laboratories, please visit the resources below.
The New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS)
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
To learn more about house rabbits, please visit the House Rabbit Society.
Artwork Assemblage: Kevin Dresser
New Zealand White Rabbit Photo: Kimball Stock
Footnotes:
1 The Dirty Dozen: 12 Worst CEOs for Animals in Laboratories
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