WHO IS OUR PATRON?
Dr. Andre Menache, MRCVS, holds qualifications in both zoology and veterinary medicine and has been a dedicated advocate against animal experimentation since 1980 when he was a veterinary student in South Africa. His significant contributions include influencing the amendment of the Helsinki Declaration in 2000, advocating for the broader adoption of non-animal research methods.
In 2015, Dr. Menache played a pivotal role in the European Citizens Initiative "Stop Vivisection," which garnered over one million signatures. This initiative led to a subsequent EU Parliament Hearing calling for a ban on animal experiments.
Dr. Menache is also a member of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine, specializing in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law. He serves as a consultant on matters of science and animal testing legislation for numerous international organizations dedicated to ending animal experimentation.
"The scientific evidence to show that animal models are not predictive for humans is rock solid."
Dr. Andre Menache was one of the vets who helped in the court case in Italy against Marshall BioResources and was involved in the closure of the Greenhill Beagle breeding facility (MBR). He was an expert witness, along with several other Italian vets, who pointed out the serious animal welfare shortcomings at the facility. These included high puppy mortality rates, linked to the sawdust bedding used to soak up urine and excrement. The puppies would play with the sawdust and swallow some of it, which in some cases blocked their intestines, leading to the death of many puppies.
Like other MBR facilities, the older dogs (up to 10 months of age) received very little in the way of environmental enrichment in addition to insufficient daily exercise. The 2,400 beagles that were liberated and rehomed all displayed a variety of behavioural problems linked to the poor housing conditions, and sheer boredom for months on end.
We hope to be soon celebrating the closure of MBR Acres in the UK too.
