A recent article in The Scientist headlined "Scientists Doubtful About New Law Aiming To Protect Animal Research Facilities" (Ron Kaufman, Oct. 26, 1992, page 1) may have conveyed the inaccurate notion that the Animal Enterprise Protection Act of 1992 is toothless. However, the legislation--sponsored by Sen. Howell T. Heflin (D-Ala.) and Rep. Charles Stenholm (D-Texas) and signed into law in August--is very strong indeed.
Unfortunately, the new research facility protection law cannot rectify the injustice suffered by past victims. It is also true that the worst animal rights zealots will not be deterred by this or any law. Such disregard has already been flaunted by those responsible for the acts of arson that did more than $100,000 damage at Utah State University last fall. As The Scientist's article correctly points out, this kind of action was illegal before passage of the Heflin/Stenholm bill.
Yet, despite existing federal and state laws, ...
