Vegan actor Edie Falco has urged the University of Delaware to stop testing on rats.
The Golden Globe-nominated star of “Sopranos” recently worked alongside animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to encourage university staff members to help end the cruel animal tests.
According to the organization, Falco rung every single member of staff at the university and asked them to contact the president of the institution, Dennis Assanis, asking him to ban the tests.
PETA reports that Tania Roth — an associate professor for the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences — has tested on rats for years.
“This is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart. I’m a longtime animal lover, and any opportunity that I have to look after them, I will happily partake in,” Falco says in her phone message.
“For almost 20 years, experimenter Tania Roth has been tormenting and killing mother rats and their infants in these horribly painful, inhumane experiments, and ultimately, they are completely worthless,” she adds.
According to the actor, tests include the forced swim test, where rats are placed in beakers of water while experimenters take note of how long they struggle for, and electric shocks to the feet.
Falco frequently speaks out on behalf of the animals. Last August, the actor protested outside McDonald’s in New York City, alongside her son and many other animal rights activists.
The star was protesting against the chain’s animal welfare policy and also took the opportunity to request that the fast food giant offer more vegan food.
“I think to a large degree people are in denial about where their food comes from,” she said in a Facebook live video for Animal Equality at the time. “Events like this make it clear what it actually looks like. What you’re eating, what you’re actually participating in, and on some level making ok, is this horrible thing. You need to know about it.”
Falco has also spoken out about marine animal captivity at SeaWorld, as well as the horse carriage industry, and the use of wild animals in traveling circuses.
