Papal support claimed for reduction in animal research

A theologian at Oxford University who co-edited a report calling for animal testing to be “denormalised” claims that Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment comes close to ­supporting his view, writes Elena Curti.

Professor Andrew Linzey, director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics says that the encyclical, Laudato si’ marks a significant shift in Christian understanding of what is meant in the Bible by humans having dominion over the earth.

“The tone of the encyclical is ‘human beings are special and unique’ but part of their very specialness ought to be looking after the beautiful creation that God has made and we dishonour God if we dishonour God’s creatures,” he said.

Professor Linzey, an Anglican priest, co-edited the report, “Normalising the Unthinkable”, published last April. The study estimates that 115.3 million animals are used in experiments worldwide and describes the issue as “one of the major moral issues of our time”. The report calls for “a massive switch of funding to non-animal replacement techniques as a matter of urgency”.

A letter in support of the study was signed by 150 intellectuals including the former Bishop of Oxford, John Pritchard, and the Catholic human rights lawyer, Conor Gearty.