‘Misguided’ Raid on Laboratory

Your editorial (April 23), “The Misguided,” demanding action against animal liberation groups for raids on animal experimental clinics, was both shortsighted and unconstructive.

Humane organizations are not rigidly opposed to experimentation but are opposed to unnecessary cruelty. The raids you complain about in your editorial, while illegal, seem to be one way in which animal groups, opposed to cruelty, can get the public’s attention.

What we really need is much more closely supervised inspection and control over laboratories. At this time they are not subject to regular state law on cruelty and they are a law unto themselves behind the sterile walls of their labs.

Assemblyman Bill Bradley (R-Escondido) has just introduced a bill, AB 1319, which would rectify this omission by requiring, among other things, the establishment of a commission to review each proposal for animal research by an institution and have power to enjoin research deemed unnecessary, inhumane or repetitious.

Adoption of this bill would go far toward rectifying the present anarchy in the research business.

EDWARD NEWMAN

Woodland Hills

Newman is president of the California Humane Council, a statewide coordinating council of humane societies.