26pc fewer animals were made to suffer

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

You may have missed the good news last week.

New Zealand reduced the number of animals used in research and testing last year by a quarter, it was announced on Friday.

A step in the right direction, even if it hardly made for major headlines.

The just-released statistics show that 224,048 animals were used for research - most of them likely perishing in the name of "science" - which was 25.9 per cent fewer than in 2012.

For a country that would like to regard itself as largely civilised, New Zealand lags behind when it comes to treatment of animals. Maybe it's that agricultural DNA to blame.

The Government has said it will toughen up laws around animal welfare on the farm and, while it is slow progress, it is welcome progress nonetheless.

In terms of the general conservation of species, there is plenty of work to be done and it is worrying when those concerned about the loss of Maui's dolphins, for example, are regarded as some obsessed fringe element.

However, animal testing for cosmetics is a much easier hurdle to overcome.

Still legal in this country despite repeated calls for a national ban, it is disheartening that new lipsticks and shampoos apparently require the painful eye, skin and oral poisoning tests on rabbits, rodents and the like. At least, that's what the manufacturers claim is necessary to declare their products safe for humans. It is nonsense, of course.

Animal testing of cosmetics is banned in the European Union and many other countries where beauty products still abound.

A ban on testing was one of Labour's policies at last month's election and a poll had more than 64 per cent of voters approving of it as a party policy.

It won't be a top priority for the new National Government but we must live in hope.