Animal testing
It is easy to believe that as an average Australian, animal experimentation has nothing to do with you. But it does. By donating to any medical charity or purchasing certain pharmaceutical products, you are helping fund cruel research involving animals.
Animal research has now become a multi-billion dollar industry, and is practised in private institutions, household products, cosmetic companies, government agencies, educational industries and scientific research centres.
Most of this research is not humane whatsoever: over six million animals in Australia and New Zealand are subject to this cruel testing each year. Most of these animals are also subject to extreme amounts of pain or stress during these experimental procedures. What I struggle to understand, is why animals are able to be treated and tortured in this cruel way without anyone blinking an eye, but these experiments are considered too risky to test on humans. While researching this topic, I found a quote that I think sums up animal testing perfectly.
“Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals and the answer is: 'Because animals are like us.'
“Ask the experimenters why it is morally okay to experiment on animals, and the answer is: 'Because the animals are not like us.'
“Animal experimentation rests on a logical contradiction.”
—Prof. Charles R. Magel
Modern research has shown us that although humans and animals do have some similar organ systems and body processes, the similarities are not enough to make this research valid and transferable between the different species. Experiments on animals help scientists increase knowledge about the way the human body works, but rarely are these test results valid for both humans and animals.
Viewing ourselves as superior to animals is not a new occurrence; in fact it has been around for thousands of years. It is out-dated and unnecessary, and ultimately is speciesism, which is comparable to sexism and racism.
Animal research has now become a multi-billion dollar industry, and is practised in private institutions, household products, cosmetic companies, government agencies, educational industries and scientific research centres.
Most of this research is not humane whatsoever: over six million animals in Australia and New Zealand are subject to this cruel testing each year. Most of these animals are also subject to extreme amounts of pain or stress during these experimental procedures. What I struggle to understand, is why animals are able to be treated and tortured in this cruel way without anyone blinking an eye, but these experiments are considered too risky to test on humans. While researching this topic, I found a quote that I think sums up animal testing perfectly.
“Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals and the answer is: 'Because animals are like us.'
“Ask the experimenters why it is morally okay to experiment on animals, and the answer is: 'Because the animals are not like us.'
“Animal experimentation rests on a logical contradiction.”
—Prof. Charles R. Magel
Modern research has shown us that although humans and animals do have some similar organ systems and body processes, the similarities are not enough to make this research valid and transferable between the different species. Experiments on animals help scientists increase knowledge about the way the human body works, but rarely are these test results valid for both humans and animals.
Viewing ourselves as superior to animals is not a new occurrence; in fact it has been around for thousands of years. It is out-dated and unnecessary, and ultimately is speciesism, which is comparable to sexism and racism.