I FEEL I should respond to S James’ letter (ViewPoints, September 11).

Animal experiments are futile, slow, expensive, unethical, unreliable and can be dangerously misleading.

This is because animals’ bodies are different from ours. They do not suffer from the same diseases as humans and do not react to chemicals in the same way.

There has been a rise in the breeding of genetically modified animals with deliberate genetic mutations. Many suffer painful complications such as limb malformations or enlarged internal organs. This is in addition to the suffering the mutation is intended to cause – mimicking diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cystic fibrosis.

S James mentions the dog experiments discovering and isolating insulin. These were carried out between 1890 and 1922!

The way ahead in stopping animals experiments will not mean an end to medical progress – there will still be, for example,’in vitro’ tests, computer modelling, case studies, post mortem studies, scans and epidemiology.

Defending animals does not mean caring about them more than about people. It’s about protecting species from cruelty and unfair treatment.

There is nothing strange about being interested in animals rights. Being a vegetarian, not buying certain products and not visiting circuses with animals are some ways you can help to make this world a kinder place.

PAMELA TREADWELL Dodgson Road Cowley