Dunedin animal lovers joined yesterday's nationwide protest against a new Act allowing synthetic party drugs to be tested on animals with the message ''we won't forget at election time''.
Shouting and barking were heard in George St as about 150 people and 50 dogs made their way to the Octagon soon after noon.
Along with hundreds of protesters in other New Zealand centres, including Auckland, Palmerston North, Tauranga, Wellington and Queenstown, they were voicing their opposition to the recently passed Psychoactive Substances Act, which allows new substances to be tested on animals.
The Dunedin protest was organised by Helping You Help Animals and protesters included representatives from Dunedin Dog Rescue and Save Animals From Exploitation.
Dunedin Dog Rescue co-ordinator Dr Jo Pollard said the Bill was unjustified because animals would suffer.
Although Dr Pollard did not agree with animal testing in general, she understood its use for the medical industry and said those tests were made after ''serious ethical scrutiny'' and had benefited human health.
Testing for the recreational use of party drugs however was purely for human profit and pleasure, which was morally wrong, she said.
''It is a step backwards for a country when others are phasing out animal testing because it is redundant.''
There were several alternatives to testing on animals, including using human tissues or cells and human volunteers, Dr Pollard said.
Former party pill user Dan Rogers, of Dunedin, said the answer was a total ban of the substances. Dunedin Dog Rescue dog handler Michelle Hagar said the Government had not listened to up to 64,000 New Zealanders who had signed a petition to stop the Bill.
The law passed with 119 MPs in favour, after late moves to introduce greater controls on animal testing were voted down.
Marion Trinder and Trish Owen said they were present to speak for animals who could not speak for themselves.
''It's not safe. It's not right,'' Mrs Owen said.
''When is it OK to enforce suffering on an animal for a human want? Not for the sake of people getting high,'' Mrs Trinder said.
