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Scientists attempting to gain a clearer
insight into how and why around 20% of avalanche
victims survive for up to 2 hours under snow
have had their experiment stopped due to public
outcry at the animal cruelty involved
In a fire station near Vent in Tirol Austria
researchers buried pigs alive in a mini self
constructed avalanche and monitored the pigs’
slow death from a nearby tent . This procedure
was carried out on an unfortunate 9 pigs before
the public and animal welfare organizations
were alerted. On the same day it was possible
to get a halt called on the experiment continuing
thanks to the immediate action of protesters
and media coverage.
Protesters at the scene visited the Mayor on
Friday morning to get his assurance that the
experiments would not be allowed to continue,
but in a surprising turn he fully supports the
researchers and would have no hesitation in
letting the experiments continue if and when
the responsible university allows it. A surprising
response given the international public outcry
and the fact that his region is a tourist reliant
skiing area.
In contrast to Mayor Schöpf the mountain rescue
organization has distanced itself from the experiments
commenting that they are unnecessary . Today
the animal welfare organization Four Paws has
been attempting to buy the remaining 20 pigs
who would then be allowed to live out their
natural lives at an Austrian sanctuary, but
the farmer responsible for supplying the pigs
for the experiments and scientist Dr Peter Paal
are refusing to cooperate insisting that the
pigs will be slaughtered for meat rather than
letting Four Paws save them. The region’s tourist
board as well as counselor Anton Steixner have
also condemned the experiments. Now it remains
to be seen whether the responsible university
will permit Paal and his colleagues to continue
at a later date.
Demonstrations at the scene and elsewhere
On the scene around 30 protesters demonstrated
outside the local government offices and on
the ski pists. In Graz animal campaigners made
their own avalanche on the market square and
buried a protester wearing a pig mask. Radio
stations reported on the action throughout the
day.
An after thought
It is encouraging to see that the fate of
29 pigs can cause an international outrage.
But let’s not forget the countless millions
of other animals used in research and reared
for meat. They too are individuals with their
own fate to be decided by us.
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