Like Kevin Fletcher, I was also pleased to hear that the Government is planning to stop the testing of household products on animals. ("Animal testing reform timely", Mailbox, August 1).

The complete sales ban where no animal tests are allowed at all for cosmetics sold in the EU is due to kick in during 2013.

However, every year more than three million animals are experimented on in British laboratories. Primates, cats, dogs, mice, rabbits and other animals are used to test new products, to study human disease and in the development of new drugs. They are even used in warfare experiments.

Animals are not laboratory tools. They are sentient beings, capable of experiencing pain, fear, loneliness, frustration and sadness. To deliberately inflict suffering in the name of science is unacceptable. All the more so because not only is animal research harmful to animals, it is also potentially harmful to humans.

Different species react very differently to drugs and procedures. Drugs that are shown to be safe in animals may later prove to be dangerous in humans, while valuable cures and treatments can be missed if they fail in animal tests.

Modern, state-of-the-art methods allow us to obtain data that is more accurate and relevant to human health, and, therefore, more likely to lead to effective treatments.

Ending vivisection will benefit people and animals. Contact Animal Aid for a free End Animal Experiments pack on 01732 364546, or at:

info@animalaid.org.uk

Mrs Elizabeth Allison, Aylestone.