📉🐭 New numbers out today: 🇨🇭 reports the lowest annual use of animals in #AnimalExperimentation since records began in 1983. A fortunate development for sure, but there's no guarantee it'll continue. Thoughts in 🧵

📉🐭 New numbers out today: 🇨🇭 reports the lowest annual use of animals in #AnimalExperimentation since records began in 1983. A fortunate development for sure, but there's no guarantee it'll continue. Thoughts in 🧵

A missed opportunity: The 🇨🇭 Council of States just voted *not* to pursue a parliamentary initiative for a phase-out plan for animal experiments. This means the bill is off the table. But there's always next time…! 🐭📉

Having a great time at the European Animal Rights Law Conference – that's me there in the picture! 😎 I talked about phase-out planning for research that harms animals: Why it's not just the #3Rs, why it's different from a ban, and how politically promising the demand is. Great discussion too!

My paper ‘Animal Rights, Moral Motivation, and the Experience of Wonder’ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... has just been published at @the-joap.bsky.social In it, I argue for fostering a sense of wonder at individual nonhuman animals, & for making this the basis of a reverence-based respect.

📚 Bibliography Recommendation 🦉 Today, we're recommending an essential reading for anyone working on animal ethics or advocacy: "From Here to Utopia: Theories of Change in Nonideal Animal Ethics" by Nico Dario Müller. 🐾🌱

Looking forward to discussing phase-out strategies for animal experimentation at this conference in September! 📉🐭

Looking forward to discussing phase-out strategies for animal experimentation at this conference in September! 📉🐭

🚨 NEW OA ARTICLE 🚨 In many countries, animal experimentation overall isn't decreasing or becoming less severe. Some argue that overall numbers are misleading – that they don't tell us anything about whether we're making progress in alternatives. I argue this is isn't totally wrong, just mostly.

🚨 NEW OA ARTICLE 🚨 In many countries, animal experimentation overall isn't decreasing or becoming less severe. Some argue that overall numbers are misleading – that they don't tell us anything about whether we're making progress in alternatives. I argue this is isn't totally wrong, just mostly.

This week, a 🇨🇭 parliament commission debated whether the country should develop a phase-out strategy for experiments that harm animals. They said no – and rather bizarrely wrote they don't want a "phase-out plan for 3Rs research." Make it make sense… 🤷‍♂️ www.parlament.ch/press-releas...

This week, a 🇨🇭 parliament commission debated whether the country should develop a phase-out strategy for experiments that harm animals. They said no – and rather bizarrely wrote they don't want a "phase-out plan for 3Rs research." Make it make sense… 🤷‍♂️ www.parlament.ch/press-releas...

Was at the Federal Palace again this morning to give a short presentation about phase-out planning for animal experimentation. Glad to have been heard! 💪

Just found this intriguing book on #Yoga and #AnimalEthics that's completely free to read. There's a surprising amount of Kant in there, including a reference to my book. I'll have to read this more closely! #PhilSky

Great signal placement: "Politics course for researchers" and "dead end" 😅

No thanks, Springer, I don't want to buy reprints of articles I wrote. 🙄 And please stop emailing me about it while I'm waiting for peer review decisions. #AcademicSky

Meet The Replacement: a bi-weekly newsletter on the global transition away from animal testing. ✨ Coverage of animal testing & research policy often flies under the radar, but it's more urgent than ever. I'm here to round up the news for you. 🫡 Please share widely! thereplacement.substack.com

Just had my zoom presentation interrupted by trolls for the first time. I knew it would happen eventually – I guess it's a rite of passage by this point. 😅 #AcademicSky #PhilSky

I took the question, then answered a better one. Not "why do we need animal testing," but "how might we overcome it?" 🐭📉 #AnimalEthics #AnimalResearch

I took the question, then answered a better one. Not "why do we need animal testing," but "how might we overcome it?" 🐭📉 #AnimalEthics #AnimalResearch

"Thank you for submitting your manuscript, 'X in the context of Y in Z' to the Journal of X, Y, and Z. With regret, your manuscript cannot be accepted for publication as it does not fit the scope of our journal." 💆‍♂️ #AcademicSky #PhilSky

Happening in an hour 😎 🐸 #AnimalEthics

As #Basel is getting a publicity boost for hosting #eurovision, let me share my favorite spot in the city: This is where a seawater aquarium _wasn't_ built after the zoo lost at the ballot in 2019. A rare political win for animals in 🇨🇭! 🐠

Workshops are all about the coffee breaks. ☕ You don't get to network if you're just zooming in. At least my name is getting some decent exposure! 💁‍♂️

Cleaning up the homeoffice a little and found this bizarre sticker. I got it from a colleague who in turn got it at some 3Rs conference. It really borders on a cult of personality…

Very giddy – I'm on in about an hour at this great workshop! 🐴🐮🐷

It looks like the 🇩🇪 gov isn't publishing its reduction plan after all. Disappointing. Not that there had been a press release, mind you. The ministry in charge only confirmed upon a journalist's inquiry that they're postponing the release until the next legislature. Baffling lack of transparency.

Interesting news from the NIH: A new office will apparently be created to oversee efforts to scale up the use of NAMs. Infrastructure, funding, and training will also be expanded to support NAMs. Few details so far, but definitely something to keep an eye on. 🐭📉🧫📈

Are you writing on animals and (non)violence? Are you interested in getting it published in the Journal of Pacifism and Nonviolence? If so, I have brilliant news for you: I'm putting together a Special Issue on Animals and (Non)violence! Details here: brill.com/fileasset/do... #polisky #animalsky

This was a very helpful and pleasant read. Hopster draws distinctions between different types of legitimate expectations in transitions and gives guidance on how to think about their normative weight. 📄👍 It's written for a climate context, but it might help in thinking about animal research too.

This was a very helpful and pleasant read. Hopster draws distinctions between different types of legitimate expectations in transitions and gives guidance on how to think about their normative weight. 📄👍 It's written for a climate context, but it might help in thinking about animal research too.

‪The 🇩🇪 gov is preparing to publish its strategy for reducing animal experiments, expected next week. Apparently, not everyone is happy with the result. According to @faznet.bsky.social, some scientists will launch a media campaign tomorrow to protest against the plan.

Bentham got one thing right: More #cats deserve honorifics like "Sir, "Reverend," and "Doctor." 🐈🏅

The FDA recently published a roadmap for the reduction of #AnimalTesting for preclinical safety studies. I finally got around to reading it – some thoughts in the thread. 🧵

The FDA recently published a roadmap for the reduction of #AnimalTesting for preclinical safety studies. I finally got around to reading it – some thoughts in the thread. 🧵

Bentham got one thing right: More #cats deserve honorifics like "Sir, "Reverend," and "Doctor." 🐈🏅

Getting rejected by the editor despite both reviews being positive makes for an intriguing, rich, complex flavor of frustration. 🙄 #AcademicSky #PhilSky

Currently in this building, having interesting discussions* about the role of strategies in animal experimentation policy & getting input from MPs. 🐭📉 *periodically interrupted by MPs running for some vote they're late for. 😁

Utilitarians have officially won: "Kant" is now considered a dirty word. 😵‍💫

…aaand another one. Like clockwork. The journalistic obsession with anthropomorphization continues.

"The Sexual Life of Immanuel Kant" 😝 Yes, this book actually exists. The author, however, is entirely fictional.

"The Sexual Life of Immanuel Kant" 😝 Yes, this book actually exists. The author, however, is entirely fictional.

The next popular initiative for a total ban on animal experiments in 🇨🇭 is making its usual way through the institutions. Same old idea, same old result: The Federal Council recommends a No. Thoughts on what's missing in this predictable back-and-forth. 🧵

In more 🇨🇭 animal experimentation politics news, the Federal Council yesterday responded to a postulate by @meretschneider.bsky.social for a report on what we can learn from other countries (see older thread below). The response, essentially: Nico's already looking into it. 😳🤦‍♂️

The next popular initiative for a total ban on animal experiments in 🇨🇭 is making its usual way through the institutions. Same old idea, same old result: The Federal Council recommends a No. Thoughts on what's missing in this predictable back-and-forth. 🧵

Survey is open until February 14. If you have thoughts on transitioning away from some or all animal experiments, you should participate. 🇳🇱✍️

Had to check again when the Ministry was supposed to be created. January 2025, apparently. Yup, we're now officially in a worse timeline than the one imagined in this book. 🫣

An afternoon in a library full of books about animals, together with some friends – it doesn't get much better than this! 📚😻 This was in Zurich at the Stiftung für das Tier im Recht – always worth a visit! www.tierimrecht.org/en/

An afternoon in a library full of books about animals, together with some friends – it doesn't get much better than this! 📚😻 This was in Zurich at the Stiftung für das Tier im Recht – always worth a visit! www.tierimrecht.org/en/

I really wish I had read this earlier. Highly recommended for anyone interested in #AnimalEthics #AnimalRights #PhilSky www.cambridge.org/core/element...