A NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM SPEAK - THE VOICE FOR THE RIGHTS OF ANIMALS

As we enter the New Year, SPEAK's resolve to fight for the rights of the animals imprisoned inside Oxford University 's new torture lab is stronger than ever.

The SPEAK Campaign is not, and never has been, about the bricks and mortar of that monstrous building on South Parks Road, it is about fighting for the rights of the animals who are destined to suffer and die within its walls in barbaric experiments at the hands of Oxford University researchers. And what we demand for these, and all animals, is simple; the fundamental legal right not to be treated as 'things', as property, or resources. Just as Felix was, so each animal inside the labs of Oxford, and elsewhere, is an individual; each has interests and each life matters, but as long as humans have property rights in animals they will continue to be exploited and there will be no effective sanctions to prevent their abuse. When the rights of the property owner, a human, are balanced against the rights of the property, an animal, the scales will almost always weigh in favour of the property owner.

With this in mind, SPEAK will now be 'SPEAK - The Voice for the RIGHTS of Animals' to emphasize what it is that we are fighting for; not welfare improvements or more 'humane' treatment but legal rights for and an elevation of the moral status of animals. Most animal abusers would profess to care for the welfare of animals who suffer at their hands in order to attempt to make their abuse more palatable to the public and no matter how large the cages in a lab, the animals inside still suffer psychologically and physically and have no control over their own lives. Their exploitation must be abolished, not merely regulated; this is the only way we will achieve real change for the animals.

Oxford University 's horrifically brutal treatment of animals and total arrogant disregard for their rights has led to Oxford being seen as the capital city of animal abuse in this country and SPEAK's focus will remain upon this institution and city until the appalling cruelty there ends. Until this happens, SPEAK and its supporters at home and abroad will continue to spread our message worldwide and encourage all people of conscience to boycott Oxford .

As Oxford University and those who protect and support animal abuse in the government, police and the media continue their assaults on legal protesters who fight for what is right, so SPEAK increases in strength and sees support for the campaign grow by the day. Throughout the coming year, SPEAK will continue to challenge those who abuse animals at every opportunity and in every quarter. We will never be bullied or harassed into walking away from the animals incarcerated inside Oxford University . The lives of the animals matter to them, they belong to them and we will fight for their rights until every cage is empty.