Abstract
Although there are several books covering the management of laboratory animals, or the law regarding animal welfare, this is perhaps the only book focusing solely on the law controlling the use of animals in scientific research in the UK, and as such is an invaluable resource to all who work with animals in this way. The principal challenges to any author writing in this field is to meet the broad appeal of the readership since the law regulating animal experimentation in the UK applies to a wide range of people from those involved in the day-to-day care of animals to those who hold overall responsibility for the use of animals in their establishments. Second, is one of accuracy, since giving incomplete information to those who work under the UK law may result in the law not being fully followed. It is fair to say that Kevin Dolan far exceeds my expectations on both counts in this very accessible and readable book.
The book is divided into three parts: Introduction, The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and Other relevant legislation.
Following a brief introduction on the history and evolution of animal protection law in the UK, the second part concentrates on the 1986 Act and provides an excellent overview of this legislation for the practitioner. Starting with a brief background on the current legislation, Kevin Dolan proceeds to examine various elements of the 1986 Act, which for the most part reflects information already given in the Home Office Guide to the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. However, the added value comes in the form of snippets of explanation of why certain words or phrases are used, e.g. avoiding explicit phrases ‘obviate desirable flexibility in its application’. The author also performs a reasonable job in ‘translating’ the cumbersome and often overwhelming syntax and phraseology of the Act (indeed any legislation) allowing the reader to better understand not only the law, how it stands but how the law is implemented and how policy impacts on its operation.
The second part is divided usefully and appropriately into sections on, among others, the Personal Licence, the Project Licence, Training, Re-use, Records, Offences and Officials and Committees. The law on each section is detailed followed by a review of how it operates and how practitioners might be affected or conduct themselves. However, my concern with this section is that it often alludes to policy and operation, for example making reference to application forms in detail or to infringement policy, whereas these may and are likely to change in due course. This is a dilemma for any author who wishes to give practical as well as technical advice. Also, the section on re-use was understandably brief referring only to information already in the public domain.
Also in the second part are references, indeed good discussions, on the impact of new legislation, for example the Freedom of Information Act, on those who work with experimental animals. A section on Judicial Review provides an important reminder that there are mechanisms to question how the Act is implemented and operated.
The third and final part provides an overview of other relevant legislation, e.g. the Veterinary Surgeons Act and transport law. I was a little disappointed that the legal interface between the Veterinary Surgeons Act and the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act was not explored further in this part, but perhaps the author avoided this with measured consideration. The book is completed with information on further reading and useful sources of information, which is essential in this ever moving, ever evolving field.
All who work under the Act, or who have a vested interest in animal welfare law and how animals are protected in the UK, will find this book essential reading. The author is very well-known in the field and provides an informative and accessible account of the UK law and how it regulates biomedical research in animals.
The views represented in this article are personal and not those of the author's employer.