The merry december has turned its page and we enterd the 2009. Vesele tačke wishes everybody a happy and successful new year!! This year, Sara was the messenger of our best wishes. (with a little help from us: Maja, Jure and Karmen printed the card (thank you!) and I wrote a few words on behalf of Sara). Besides the wishes the card is also a reminder of the still on-going experiments on animals, in this case - dogs.  

Sara, who really enjoyed the snow covered streets today, and ran around like she was at least ten years younger, was involved in experiments. Even though, at least not that I am aware of, the experiments on dogs do not exist anymore in Slovenia, I found an ad in a german dog magazine, while I was waiting at the Frankfurt airport, about the rehoming of the former laboratory beagles.  When I arrived home, I opened the internet right away and checked the internet site right away. I found out, that Tiere in Not Ennepetal e. V. (1) was founded by a small group of people, who have put all their energies in rehoming mostly dogs (but also a small percentage of other animals) formerly involved in laboratory testing. They collaborate with 10 laboratories. Once the laboratiroes complete the experiements and the dogs are not needed anymore, they give the data about them to the society. The society then finds them new homes with suitable owners. The principle is to avoid the shelters. The dogs stay in the laboratories, until the new owner is found and then they go directly to their new homes. They don`t waste time on debates about the meaning of animal experimenting.  They just worry and provide, that the dogs come in loving hands. They also demand, that in case of any trouble, the dogs are given back to them and not to third parties, especially without their consent. Since 1992 the society has helped rehome around 2000 dogs. According to data from Germany, 7632 dogs (6872 beagles) are used in the experiments(2). You can find more interesting information on the webpage (3), where Asta, the beagle will lead you through facts, stories, news and meetings of the laboratory beagles.

To conclude, I would like to add a thought, a myth that doesn`t concern only the laboratory dogs: People often think that an old dog will never adapt to a new home. WEll, our Sara came to live with us when she was almost 12 years old. We had a few problems, she didn`t know the stuff a normally socialized dog would, but soon she fit in the family well. When I think of her age, I feel a bitterness, but soon these feelings are overcome by the sight of her, exploring and sniffing the surroundings. Sara enjoys every minute of her life and for me, to be a part of that, is an immense joy.  So please, when you go to a shelter to pick a dog for you, don`t walk by the kennel just because the “inmate” is an “oldie”.

Cited links:

1. http://www.versuchstiere.de/

2.http://www.vmf.uni-leipzig.de/ik/wimmunologie/Lehre/WS04/WS04-4-04.pdf

3.http://www.laborbeagle.de/