Where do you go when your money is not good enough?

This can't be good news:

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) has turned down £30,000 raised by Barry Atkinson, a shooting enthusiast who carried out a record 148 days “beating”. The ICR speaks of its concern for “minimising pain and suffering in animals” but apparently told Mr Atkinson that it was worried about animal rights “activists”.

I would say to the ICR that it should be strong in the face of any kind of intimidation, imagined or not. There is a great deal at stake after all.

This is a terrible state of affairs and one has to ask what kind of message the ICR is sending the shooting community in Britain. Do they wish to turn down our donations because of their concern for species of pest and of game or do they wish to turn down our donations because they are worried about animal rights intimidation?

I already feel bad that I can no longer give to the RSPCA like I used to because of their stance on airguns. I almost canceled my monthly donations to Oxfam at one point but, thankfully, the message I was being given was confusing enough for me to gladly let that one slip by. What now with the ICR?

I have contacted the ICR to ask them to clarify this situation. I simply can't believe that the situation has been correctly reported by the Times.

The BBC also carry the story as does Tim over at An Englishman's Castle.

Posted by John at March 22, 2005 11:55 AM | TrackBack