Candlelight vigil planned to honor animals in laboratories

Here’s the press release from Southern Animal Action Solidarity:

Local animal advocates remember animals in laboratories

Asheville, NC—A candlelight vigil will take place in honor of World Week for Animals in Laboratories on Tuesday April 23, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pack Square Park. The vigil is a commemoration for all the animals who have died in laboratory experiments.

The vigil marks the first annual event in Asheville to recognize the plight of animals in laboratories.

World Week for Animals in Laboratories is a week-long event to bring awareness to use of animals in inhumane laboratory experiments. The event was originally created by the national organization In Defense of Animals in 1986. Since then, the event has expanded into an international event of remembrance and protest.

In 2009, over one million animals were used in federally-funded experimental procedures, USDA reported. However, the actual estimate of animals used in experimentation is far greater. According to the watchdog group Stop Animal Exploitation Now, over 90% of the animals used in laboratory experiments are species not protected by the Animal Welfare Act.

The vigil will include a performance by activist and singer-musician Anastasia Yarbrough.

The event is organized by Southern Animal Action Solidarity. The vigil is open to the public.

Southern Animal Action Solidarity is an Asheville-based alliance group that works to strengthen the capacity of the animal advocacy movement in the Southeast.