LETTERS: DONORS URGED TO RESTRICT FUNDS TO HUMAN STUDIES

To the editor:

On Saturday the March of Dimes will be holding its WalkAmerica fund-raising event for the worthy goal of raising millions of dollars to prevent birth defects. But most donors are unaware that their gifts help fund painful experiments on animals.

The March of Dimes funnels millions of dollars into laboratory studies on primates, dogs, rabbits, sheep, guinea pigs and other species. Both the animals and human babies are the losers, because every dollar spent to harm these animals is a dollar that could have and should have been used to help people.

The March of Dimes utilizes animals for three reasons: 1. Animals allow the charity to hasten procedures through the approval process, when the truth is that the data are only relevant to the species depicted. 2. Animals furnish labs and charities with liability protection. 3. The existing complexity of government agencies lends itself to the use of helpless animals since that is the way it's been done since 1909.

This is all done under the absurd premise that such studies will reveal information. Drawing parallels between dogs and humans makes little sense. It only wastes time, resources, money and innocent animals whose lives are so important.

Last week, Pepsi Co. and Sara Lee Co. restricted their March of Dimes donations to programs that do not involve animal use. They wanted to help ensure that their money was spent on relevant, human-based research and education programs. I hope others will do the same.

KIMBERLY NECAS

Cape Girardeau