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Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) in Puebla, a prestigious higher education institution in Mexico, has so far refused to ban a pointless and cruel test in which mice, rats, and other small animals are forced to swim for their lives in inescapable beakers of water. PETA has shared with BUAP’s leadership the overwhelming evidence of the scientific and ethical shortcomings of the forced swim test and the growing list of important universities and pharmaceutical companies worldwide that have stopped using it. But BUAP has ignored this information.
A federal judge has suspended these experiments on animals based on Article 4 of the Constitution, deeming the abuse of animals an issue of public interest and social order. BUAP now has two options: end these cruel and outdated tests, or attempt to justify them in court.
The Cruelty of the Forced Swim Test
When dropped into beakers of water, panicked animals subjected to this cruel test try to escape by attempting to climb up the sides of the beakers or even diving underwater in search of an exit. They paddle furiously, desperately trying to keep their heads above water. Eventually, they start to float.
Experimenters using this absurd test claim it can help determine the effectiveness of experimental antidepressant drugs in humans, based on how long the animals swim before floating.
However, the test has been heavily criticized by scientists who argue that floating may be a positive sign of learning, conserving energy, and adapting to a new environment.
The Forced Swim Test Is Bad Science
Forcing animals to swim for their lives inside containers is a poor model for human mental health. These experiments do nothing more than terrify animals.
The test is so worthless that it is actually less predictive than a coin toss. This is what PETA scientist Dr. Emily Trunnell found after analyzing its use by major pharmaceutical companies. Her study was published in Drug Discovery Today.
How You Can Help Animals
Following discussions with PETA entities, 18 major companies, including Bayer and Johnson & Johnson, and several universities (some of which previously performed the test for depression studies) have declared that they don’t intend to use the forced swim test in the future.
Please take a few minutes to take action below by sending a polite letter urging Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla to permanently ban the forced swim test today!