Animal testing is not only for the benefit of the humans but is also beneficial to the animals themselves. "The research of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences benefits animals because NIEHS research contributes to protecting the environment for all the life that shares the earth - companion animals, farm animals, wildlife, marine life - and plant life as well" (Anonymous). Much more animals are consumed as a food source by humans and only a small percentage are used for animal testing. Some of these animals are also the ones that are abandoned and are kept in pounds or shelters (Kate Kristoff). Animal testing has been proved to be beneficial regarding a lot of diseases and this cannot be denied by anyone. Scientists do not love to put animals to testing for no reason whatever. There are legislations that prevent any cruelty and thus animals are kept under humane conditions. It is no wonder that recently "500 top UK scientists and doctors today signed a declaration defending the use of animals in medical research and scientific testing" (Finfacts Team).
Many do express their concern that animals are put through pain when they are killed but this is only a misconception. Animals are killed in such a way that they do not feel any pain. They die before they can even suffer. It is important for animal testing to continue for the benefit of humans as well as animals. Some of the benefits which animal testing has brought about are the vaccines of rabies, mumps, polio, TB and it has also made it possible to perform open-heart operations as well as organ transplantation.
People might talk about the benefits of animal testing but it is established that animal testing can delay the production of drugs which would be beneficial to the humans because they expressed adverse reactions in the animals. Such was seen in the case of Protease inhibitor drugs and their delay causing the deaths of numerous people who were suffering from HIV infection. There are other alternatives which include test tube experimentations of human tissue cultures. These should be opted for and used rather than the inhumane treatment of animals which no legislation can prevent. The scientists might say that no pain is caused but is there any way to measure whether any pain is caused or not? What about the stress that the animal is put through in isolation? We cannot measure these and it is immoral and unethical to use animals and put them through torture and sufferings so that our scientists can develop drugs that do not benefit us and might cause a delay in discovering effective medicines. Deaths through experimentation are no less than murder and are absolutely unnecessary. The animals have a right to live freely and no one should snatch this right of theirs.
Anonymous - Animal Testing 101. [Online website] Available at http://www.stopanimaltests.com/animalTesting101.asp[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]
Karen Lee Stevens - Animal Testing Alternatives. [Online website] Available at http://www.allforanimals.com/alternatives1.htm[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]
Peter Tatchell - Article Title: Why Animal Research Is Bad Science: The Government Is Wrong to Support Vivisection -- And Not Only Because of the Suffering Caused to Non-Human Creatures. Most Human Diseases Are Unique to Us, and Testing on Other Species Is Downright Misleading. Magazine Title: New Statesman. Volume: 133. Issue: 4700. Publication Date: August 9, 2004. Page Number: 18+.
Andrew N. Rowan - Article Title: Ethical Review and Te Animal Care and Use Committee. Journal Title: The Hastings Center Report. Volume: 20. Issue: 3. Publication Year: 1990. Page Number: 19+.
Anonymous - Uncaged Campaigns: End Vivisection. [Online website] Available at http://www.uncaged.co.uk/[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]
Anonymous - Benefits of Animal-Based Science. [Online website] Available at http://anzccart.rsnz.govt.nz/text/benefits.html[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]
Anonymous - Why Animal Research? [Online website] Available at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/factsheets/wrl/home.htm[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]
Thomas Dixon - Animal Experimentation. [Online website] Available at http://www.debatabase.org/details.asp?topicID=7[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]
Kate Kristoff - Animal testing bears human benefits. [Online website] Available at http://www.gazette.uwo.ca/1998/November/19/Focus1.htm[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]
10) Finfacts Team - 500 UK scientists back animal testing despite continued pressure from animal rights groups. [Online website] Available at http://www.finfacts.com/irelandbusinessnews/publish/article_10002981.shtml[Accessed on: 25/09/2005]