YouGov/Daily Telegraph Survey Results, Animal Testing, 5/30/2006
This tabulation of survey results shows that the majority of respondents feel that animal testing is acceptable and essential.
70% feel that it is acceptable to test new medical treatments on animals before humans, while 18% do not feel it is acceptable and 12% do not know.
72% believe that testing on animals is sometimes essential, 19% believe that alternatives are always available and 9% do not know.
Pharmaceutical companies say they will relocate their research facilities to other countries if the use of animals in research is banned. 14% believe they are bluffing and would like to operate in the UK with as few restrictions as possible. 72% do not believe they are bluffing and 14% do not know.
If pharmaceutical companies did transfer their research abroad, 46% would be sorry that the work would not be performed in the UK, 29% would not mind either way, 13% would be pleased that this work was no longer done in the UK, and 12% do not know.
88% believe that holding up placards is a a reasonable form of protest by animal rights activists, while 8% feel it is not and 4% do not know.
2% believe that damaging property is a reasonable form of protest by animal rights activists while 95% feel it is not and 3% don’t know.
10% believe that threatening to post the names and addresses of people connected to work on research animals on the Internet is a reasonable form of protest by animal rights activitsts while 86% do not and 5% do not know.
15% believe that shouting abuse at people going to work in animal research facilities is a reasonable form of protest by animal rights activists while 81% do not and 4% do not know.
1% feel that issuing death threats to people involved with animal research is a reasonable form of protest by animal rights activists, while 97% do not and 2% do not know.
93% believe that holding peaceful demonstrations in town centers is a reasonable way of protesting by animal rights activists, while 5% do not and 2% do not know.
1% believe that digging up and stealing bodies of people connected with animal research is a reasonable way of protesting by animal rights activists, while 97% do not and 2% do not know.
Three animal rights activists were sentenced to 12 years in prison for making threats to farm owners who bred guinea pigs for animal research. They also committed vandalism, planted bombs and dug up the remains of a family member from a graveyard. 8% felt this sentence was too long, 45% felt it was about right, 40% thought it was too short and 6% did not know.
Some people consider acts like those mentioned above to be "terrorist" acts. 77% feel that this is fair, 15% feel that it is not and 8% do not know.
76% feel that the government should pledge additional efforts to support and protect companies involved in life saving research, while 11% do not and 13% do not know.
35% believe that the police are probably doing enough to protect individuals and companies that are involved with animal research while 38% do not and 26% do not know.