Sunday, January 13, 2013

Saving the Astra Zeneca beagles -- latest campaign by the Beagle Freedom Project

 UPDATE: The push to free the Astrazeneca beagles continues. Please continue to email these pictures, and also sign the petition at Change.org.

The Beagle Freedom Project rescues beagles from research labs and finds them homes. Often these dogs have been bred for research, and spent their whole lives in cages and being tested on for everything from mascara to human medication.

The latest battle is with Astrazeneca, makers of drugs like Crestor and Nexium. The pharmaceutical company has a breeding facility in Sweden, and Beagle Freedom Project is trying to rescue all or at least some of the 400 beagles from the facility. But after lots of emailing back and forth, the Beagle Freedom Project says they were denied. Here's the reason, they say, from Astra Zeneca:
“Because these dogs have been purpose-bred for research, the best solution is to continue to utilise them for research at AstraZeneca facilities and by third parties acting on our behalf.” - Head of Corporate Affairs for AstraZeneca in Sweden, in a letter to the BFP.
I've read countless stories from Beagle Freedom Project and other places that prove otherwise. Beagles are very generous and sweet dogs, which is why they are so frequently used in research. They can be adapted to the outside world, as BFP has shown time and again.

So Lulu and I am joining the fight, and I urge others to do the same.


Here is my open letter to the makers of Astra Zeneca, which I will be sending to them via email.

To whom it may concern:

This is Lulu.

Lulu was not bred as a research beagle, but she had spent time in a cage. Lulu was a rescue dog. She lived in a shelter until my parents adopted her. Now she is my dog.

Rescue dogs are not easy. They can come with issues. We, for instance, we told that Lulu was housebroken. Not true. She as tough to deal with the first couple of years. Beagles can be like that. She is also fun, funny, kind and loving.  She was given a chance, and she has grown.

Has she been used in experiments? No, as she been isolated most of her life? No. But she is no different than the beagles you have now in your facility in Sweden. Your beagles can live full lives, they just have to be taught how, just like any dog. The Beagle Freedom Project has made amazing progress in helping research beagles adapt to new lives.

Please, give them a chance to help your dogs find good homes.

Christie Zizo
Blogger
Lifewithbeagle.com

If you with to write a letter to Astra Zeneca, here is the email address to send it to: kontakt@astrazeneca.com

If you have a dog and a story to tell, please include a picture of your dog with this poster:

 


7 comments :

  1. This is a really good idea! I'm getting started on writing my letter now.
    http://lifeasalfie.wordpress.com

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  2. Have shared this with my followers!

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  3. Thank you for sharing your letter. I'm guessing they've put time and money into what they do, as well as breeding these dogs, so it's understandable that they'd resist giving them up. Very sad.

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