Not ready to make nice

The UW is seeking sympathy for the state of its animal facilities and that animal suffering that takes place there. Oh yeah. And $20 million dollars. But the Editorial Board at the Seattle PI and local citizens aren't buying it.

One local citizen wrote:

"I'll make sure to tell these vivisectors that no, definitely no, emphatically no, I'm 'not ready to make nice', for the mice and for all the animals they hold captive in horrible conditions. I'll let them know that there is no excuse for animal abuse. "

And the PI made this observation:

Research on lab animals raises various questions about ethics, humane treatment and safety. The public generally trusts that there are processes in place to assure that the work is the only option, well thought out and conducted with the highest attention to minimizing animals' suffering.

It's discouraging, then, to find the accreditation committee concerned about what it called a "lack of oversight responsibilities."

I'd argue that the word discouraging is at least an understatement. There is no need to be so cautious with words or conclusions. From the animals' perspectives, it is more than discouraging. It is painful, frightening, stressful, oppressive, unjust, cruel, dreadful, etc. etc.

Most people see compassion and integrity as virtues. Most people love animals. Most people abhor suffering. For most people, then, the situation is much more than discouraging; it is offensive.