“My name is Rose-Marie, I am a retired teacher and have a daughter and two sons all in their thirties. I like theatre, films, classic FM, cryptic crosswords, documentaries, neighbours, reading novels, country walks with my dog and working to support all animal rights campaigns.

I began supporting the SHAC campaign because three years ago, at the age of sixty-three, I saw, in a copy of the Big Issue, a picture of a cat with a huge metal bolt screwed into its head. I was so naïve that I honestly thought that such cruelty could not possibly be true! But the evidence was not to be denied. So to show that I ‘cared’, I sent a donation, simple… sorted!

I had, up to this point, believed myself to be a reasonably well informed person and, in my capacities both of teacher and parent, thought that I had taught my pupils and off-spring about cruelty, compassion and caring. But when in response to my “conscience money” I was faced with the raw facts and [carefully hidden] realities of vivisection, I realised that, if I cared at all, I could not just “tutt tutt” at the “ways of the world”, chuck some money at the SHAC campaign, then sit back and expect other people to do my share of the work, I had to become involved myself.

About this time, I spent a month of sleepless nights lying in bed apologising to a dog that I had seen dying on a video (I’ll spare you the details) suffice to say that for me, because I have a companion rescue dog myself, this dog epitomised all the suffering of all animals. Finally I decided that I could either choose to lie there and literally go mad or I could get angry and use my skills and energy to fight against those who make filthy money out of animal abuse.

I tentatively began by supporting the demos (looking incongruously like ‘goody two shoes’ in my ‘Laura Ashley’ style frock!) and helping to run the information stalls and, through these, came to realise the enormity of my ignorance about the degree of cruelty and suffering that is perpetrated against millions of innocent sentient creatures in this world.

I began to read widely, watch videos and ask endless questions until my learning curve on the subject was nigh perpendicular!

I believe that there is a place for every kind of person from all walks of life in this campaign because we are united in our commitment to end vivisection. I am just ordinary but I can make a contribution by writing letters, fund raising, lobbying my MP, leafleting, helping on information stalls, boycotting products that are animal tested, educating the young and attending demos, etc

I support the SHAC campaign against HLS because I believe vivisection to be archaic, barbaric and the worst kind of cowardly bullying perpetrated against un-consenting creatures. Further, evidence has proved that vivisection is scientific fraud and morally and ethically indefensible. This commercial testing company’s whole ethos is based upon corporate greed.

Although the raison d’etre for SHAC is both sad and deadly serious, there is too the un-looked for bonus of camaraderie and the pleasure of meeting people with like minds and campaigning can have its lighter moments, then we share our laughs with our bags of ubiquitous chips!

Supporting the SHAC campaign is, for me, a commitment to work and continue to work until the job is done and if that should prove to take some time, that’s OK. I’m not looking for a quick fix, I will never give up until HLS is closed down."

Rose-Marie