Animal extremists' threats to neurologic research continue

Public controversy and citizens’ attitude formation about animal research: A case for scholarship and recommendations on conflicts at the science-society interface

“…Their strategies aim at mobilizing public outrage by framing scientific studies of animals as cruel and unnecessary. Protest strategies often use images that suggest that physical harm is done to research animals [ 4 ] or publicly blame individual researchers for immoral or even illegal activities in their research [ 2 , 5 ]. For example, in 2014, a German activist group publicly attacked a senior animal researcher at the University of Bremen by publishing full-page advertisements in several large newspapers that accused him of continuous cruelties against animals without any moral or scientific justification.…”

“…It is beyond the scope of the present contribution to analyze why animal researchers have oftentimes decided against speaking out in the public [see 6 ]. From a communication science view on public discourse and publicized conflict, however, maintaining silence is a risky strategy, because it prevents citizens and political decision-makers to make informed judgments as they might not become aware of arguments for the necessity of animal research such as scientific progress [ 2 ].…”

“…Animal research is a critically and emotionally discussed scientific topic at the science-society interface. One the one side of the controversy, activist groups in various countries seem to apply strategies to attract media attention and political support for their goal to limit or even ban scientific animal research [1][2][3]. Activist groups typically arrange protest events in which they express their moral condemnation of animal suffering caused by scientific studies.…”