in the interests of humanity as well, let us ask
for ever material fact pertaining to the creatures entering a
laboratory for vivisection, whether it be the dog, "stolen, to begin
with" (to use the phrase of the London Lancet), or animals more
legitimately acquired, so long as their lives are to be exploited in
the professed interests of mankind.

In every registered laboratory, therefore, the law should require that
a register be kept concerning every animal of the higher species
brought upon the premises for purposes of experimentation. The
species of every such animal, its sex, colour, condition, and apparent
age; from whom it was acquired and the price paid for it; and to whom
for experimentation it was finally delivered--all these facts should
be a part of the permanent record of every laboratory. It ought not
to be difficult to devise a register, which at the outset would
probably meet the suggested requirements.[1]

[1] See Appendix, pp. 340-343.

One advantage of such a register as this would be the assistance it
would render in all attempts to trace animals which are stolen or
lost, and which find their way to the laboratory. Every animal which
may possibly have been a pet should be kept for redemption for two to
three weeks, and no animal should be purchased unless the purchaser is
able to have a record of the address of the seller. Anyone can
distinguish between a homeless vagabond of the street and an animal
which must have been well treated in a good home, and I believe that
experimentation upon a pet animal under any conditions should be
forbidden by law.

The gain arising from such registration is obvious. It would mark the
entrance within the laboratory of every creature intended for
experimentation of any kind. It makes possible to an extent the
tracing of pet animals, lost or stolen, which now find themselves
devoted to vivisection. The inspection of such a register should be
permitted to any person whatever endeavouring to trace a lost or
stolen pet. A summary should be regularly furnished for publication,
attested by oath, precisely as the cashier of a national bank
periodically attests the accuracy of his reports. Such a report is
but a promulgation of facts which ought to be within the reach of the
public. By no stretch of the imagination can one honestly declare
that such knowledge will constitute an impediment to justifiable
research. Yet no one acquainted with this subject can d