 Get involved in raising |
Ukraine
News Archive: Autumn 2001
Stray Dogs used in Weapons Testing in Kyiv, Ukraine
The German weapons company Schmeisser International has been accused of being involved in numerous experiments on stray dogs in Ukraine. The company, based in Germany, makes guns for the police, security services, hunting, and sports use.
Our sources tell us that Schmeisser is involved in animal experiments in Ukraine that are illegal in Germany. Paragraph 7, Clause 4 of the German Animals Protection Act states: “Experiments with animals for testing or improvement of weapons, ammunition or weapons facilities are forbidden”. The German Government also find it unacceptable for German companies to carry out such tests outside Germany.
The Weapons Development Centre of Schmeisser International in Kyiv develops guns and revolvers, which do not have killing power. According to an engineer at the weapons factory situated in the outskirts of Kyiv, Schmeisser have 50% shares in the factory. The factory is responsible for developing a pistol designed for police use. When correctly used, the weapon is capable of stopping an assailant without causing long-term injury. At present about 1000 weapons are said to be produced and sold each month to institutions and security services.
Information in the hands of the Deutsches Waffenjournal (DWJ) describes how the experiments are carried out: “Adult dogs are lined up at a distance of 6 metres and their elbow joint, groin area, heart, pancreas, and spleen are fired at causing large haemorrhages of 30 to 125mm². Electro-physical investigations show that these injuries are very painful. When fired into the elbow joints from 6 metres the bullet causes flesh injury but no bone damage. When the firing distance is reduced to 3.5 metres, the bullets penetrate 6mm to 15mm resulting in large haemorrhages and strong painful reactions. When the distance is further reduced to 3 metres, the bullet causes internal damage that requires veterinary assistance. When the distance is increased to 10 metres, the bullet has no ability to stop an assailant”.
Due to letters of protest being sent to the German Embassy in Kyiv, the Embassy contacted the Schmeisser firm and were told that the experiments involved ‘just’ one dog that was anaesthetised. Further inquiries carried out by the DWJ weapons expert, Wolfgang Krausslich confirmed this to be untrue. We understand that Wolfgang Krausslich, DWJ Magazine, attempted to discuss this issue with Schmeisser in Ratingen but the company Manager, Dr. Ing. Werner Resch, declined to be interviewed.
Research carried out by the Kyiv Society for the Protection of Animals – SOS (SPA-SOS) confirms that the tests on stray dogs are carried out in conjunction with the Medical and Biological Institute of the Kyiv University and the Ukrainian Army Medical Institute. SPA-SOS have confirmed that stray dogs are regularly used to test weapons being developed by Schmeisser Ukraine and the Society is continuing its investigations into this issue.
ACTION REQUEST – PLEASE SEND LETTERS OF PROTEST
Please send letters of protest to the German and Ukrainian Embassies in London. It would be worth mentioning that animal welfarists in Kyiv have confirmed that claims made by Schmeisser International, that only one dog was used in tests in 1997 and that since then no further tests on animals have been carried out, have been found to be untrue and stray dogs continue to be used.
| Dr Hans-Friedrich von Ploetz Ambassador Embassy of the Fed. Rep. of Germany 23 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PZ |
Professor Volodymyr Vassylenko Ambassador Embassy of Ukraine 60 Holland Park London W11 3SJ |
