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Title: 74623

Hello! I'm 74623, seven four six twenty three, a rabbit. I live in the A.S.R.C. - Animal Scientific Research Centre. My home is a small wire hutch, though after the Trials I live in the Cage, an even smaller box, and I have funny tubes on or in me.

I was told of the trials by my mother. "Every now and then you are taken out and you have to endure the Pain or the Fright." Mother said that if you manage to stand a certain number, or pass a certain number of Trials, you are allowed to be set free; then you can live in a wild, wonderful place where you can eat the tastiest greens and laze in a heat called Sun. I can't wait to go there! My mother went there a few days after I was born; I haven't seen her since.

Not that I'll actually ever see it. When They put the Pain in my eyes everything went black. I think They called it 'cologne'. Another time They put the Pain right inside me with a sword and I had to live in the Cage for a long time. The Pain was so bad that I thought They would take it out again soon, but They didn't. They did say,"74623 is nearly gone," so I put all of my strength into trying to forget the Pain; if I was so near to going to the Place, then I wouldn't give up. Eventually They took out the Pain, but I didn't go to the Sun or eat the Grass.

24021 is a beagle, a much larger animal than myself. I think he has it quite tough actually; he has to have the Pain put in with the sword (or the 'needle', as he calls it) every day, and every few days he rolls on the floor and coughs and scratches himself so hard he bleeds. Then They take him away. He is very wise, and says 'he's not long for this world'. He won't explain what he means, but I suppose he'll be going to the Place soon. I hope so, I think he's had enough of the Trials to have passed the test or assessment or whatever you need to go to the Place.

The animals I feel most sorry for are the rats and mice. They have to be cut and have Pain and Fright more than any of us. Mind you, most of them only have one Trial and then we never see them again. I suppose they must get set free to go to the Place, but why do they only have one Trial, when I've had at least ten?

Well, I suppose it's not my place to question Them. They always know best, Mother told me, but if They do, why do we have to have Pain and Fright? Sometimes I doubt their right to superiority over us animals, even with all Their knowledge.

Caroline Yates, year 11, Elizabeth East SA

This poem comes from the collection Voices for the Animals - A Collection of Stories and Poems by Australian School Students.

Animal Liberation SA holds the copyright to this work. Permission is granted to teachers to make copies for their own students.