Animal rights groups are furious over an experiment in the U.K where cats’ eyes were sewn up to find out how the brain responds to sensory deprivation.

More than 20 kittens were raised in darkness for up to 12 weeks and another five had their eyes sewn closed for up to a week.

The test was funded by British taxpayers and conducted by researchers at Cardiff University who insist the procedure is humane and took place in a bid to find a cure for lazy eye in children.

But the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection’s Michelle Thew said: “This is unacceptable, cruel research. The public will be shocked to learn of publicly-funded experiments where kittens have been subjected to this.”

The university defended the experiment and released a statement reading: “Cardiff University rejects the accusation that this experiment is cruel or unnecessary. It is impossible to use any kind of techniques for this study.”


(khnews@heraldcorp.com)