2024 was another busy year which commenced with the completion of our re-brand from HRA to AFSA. Campaigning under our new brand commenced imminently. On World Day for Animals in Laboratories, we launched our Honour me With a Name Campaign giving recognition to primates used in biomedical research in Australia, and we ran an in-store national campaign in conjunction with Lush Australia promoting funding for non-animal methods. We celebrated World Rat day with a fundraising art auction thanks to artist and AFSA supporter Michelle Stanley.
Other highlights were:
- Exposing primate research breaches by the University of Melbourne
Publishing case studies on sheep and octopus research - Publishing a bulletin on the environmental impact of animal research
- Providing an alternatives search service for researchers
- Presenting at the Animal Rights Forum in Victoria and Queensland
- Exhibiting at the Monash University Orientation Week
- Delivering a lecture on non-animal toxicology research to Curtin University students
- Exhibiting at the Brisbane and Adelaide Vegan Festivals
- Two AFSA- authored articles being published
- Sponsoring an organoid conference poster prize
- Attending a Meet the Media event to showcase AFSA to journalists and media producers
- Attending research funding and integrity conferences to broaden our networks and knowledge
Our efforts were rewarded by some significant victories this year, including the NHRMC adopting a policy position prohibiting funding of the FST and nose-only smoke inhalation, the passing of legislation banning the same procedures in NSW, and the first funding allocation for non-animal research with the introduction of the non-animal technologies network, again in NSW, alongside grants to assist rehoming of animals from research.Â
In WA, a similar non-animal technologies funding scheme has been proposed. These positive developments stem from the 2022 Inquiry into Medical Research Using Animals, during which AFSA was instrumental in giving evidence and guiding submissions and evidence from other parties, and our submission and evidence to the WA Inquiry.
Learn what you can do to create more change for animals in laboratories in 2025.