[Working in Swiss animal experimentation committees] [Article in German]

Abstract

According to Swiss law (as of December, 1991), the animal protection movement has the right to have representatives in Animal Experimentation Committees. These committees control the use of animals in research and teaching by reviewing research proposals that may cause suffering to animals. They then advise the authorities on whether a license to do the experiment can be issued. In April 1993, all 86 members of one of the 14 Animal Experimentation Committees were contacted by the Swiss Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA). They were asked to fill out a questionnaire by indicating their preferences with respect to many statements about their honorary activity and their committee (multiple choice). Only 28 members responded (= 33%); 14 of them were delegates of an animal protection organisation, 14 were not. From all possible statements the profile of a satisfied and of a dissatisfied committee member was built. Then the degree of satisfaction was calculated for several aspects and the two groups of respondents were compared by c2-tests. Overall, committee members seem to be quite happy with their job and satisfied with the licenses given. However, there are several points of criticism. Although animal protectionists tend to have a more critical view, they hardly differ statistically from other committee members.