Animal Rights
Animal welfare has become a controversial topic throughout our society. Many peoples concerns about animal welfare has a lot to do with the advancements in science and in technology and how they are affecting the way we are treating the animals. The issue of animal experimentation is a widely debated topic in the United States. A fundamental question of this ongoing debate is whether the functions of animal testing and research are morally and ethically justified. In a proresearch community view, animal testing is a necessary practice because animals are not our equals. They support this position by stating that humans prioritize their survival above animals which makes it justifiable for animal testing and research. Research and …show more content…
testing have become more prominent and a larger concern for many people in the public due to the treatment of animals. Every year there are thousands of animals that are killed to discover new information for medical experiments and cosmetic research. It is clear that animal testing is inhumane but with proper care and with certain rules and regulations, there can be ways to research and experiment on animals in a more humane way.
Today our world is becoming less conscious of the pain and suffering we are inflicting on animals. As humans, we are given the responsibility to care for this earth and all that comes with it including the animals. It is our duty to care for the animals and to treat them respectfully when handling them or dealing with them. We must set certain guidelines for humans to follow when we are using animals for experimentation, food, and clothing. If these guidelines were not met for example, a chicken is stuffed into a cage with 7 other chickens and not let out of its cage to roam free, then the person in charge or liable for that would receive a large fine. We need to
2
punish those who disregard the terms and hold them accountable for their actions. Animals are vulnerable and often defenseless so it is our responsibility to assure them with a certain amount of rights.
People have been experimenting on animals for thousands of years now. Animals are often exposed to new types of vaccinations or pharmaceutical drugs for medical research before they are administered to humans to ensure that if used on humans it would cause no tremendous harm. Animals are used in research and experimentation to ensure that medical research is advancing and that it is safe for humans to use. Animal experimentation improves medicine, serves as a better alternative than human experimentation, and is an efficient method to use since animals are genetically similar to humans.
Animal testing has benefited humans in advancing human health.
In the early 20th century, thousands of children were dying from polio because there was no vaccine to fight against it. However, history took a turn for the better because in the early 1950’s a scientist found a promising vaccine that saved thousands of lives but this was all because of animal testing. Newly developed vaccines are always dangerous and sometimes risks the lives of the first experimental subjects, in this case animals. Animal testing has allowed scientists and doctors to test new vaccines on animals to ensure that they will be safe when they are administered to humans. By studying and analyzing the effects of vaccinations on animals, the experiments can determine whether the vaccines are okay for humans to use. Through the use of animal testing, scientists have found vaccines for illnesses such as polio, smallpox, and a number of other life threatening diseases. Although research was conducted on animals it was only deemed safe after animal experimentation.
3
Scientists also believe animal testing serves as a better alternative than using humans for subjects in medical research experiments. Supporters of animal testing claim that
alternative testing cannot replace animal experimentation. Mathematical models are an option but they do not offer the same reaction because they are not living organisms. Computers are also another option for testing but they can only work in storing information and processing what might be the outcome. Unfortunately, scientists can only learn certain outcomes by studying it on live animals. It is clear that animal testing is cruel, but it is also very necessary for humans. Animal testing is necessary for humans to advance in medicine but there should be certain rights that the animals do have when being tested on. For example, if a rabbit was being tested on for perfume, the animal should receive an anesthetic so it will not feel pain if it has a bad reaction. In the end, animal testing is the only choice because in most medical situations, there are not any other alternatives. Testing on animals is the most efficient way to conduct research for human drugs and it is also the best alternative to human testing as well.
Researchers believe that testing on animals should be done because humans and animals are genetically similar and testing on animals will give scientists and researches the closest thing to accurate results. Many people including some who oppose cruelty to animals believe that animals lack the intelligence and mental capabilities humans have which makes it appropriate for humans to test on them. It is clear animals can feel pain and they do have emotion which makes it a problem when testing occurs in an inhumane way or manner. The human and animal bodies are both complex but are both genetically similar. In particular studies that involve chimpanzees, scientists came to the conclusion that humans and animals have many similarities. In most cases, there should be guidelines to how the animals are treated when being dealt with in animal
4
studies. It is clear that chimpanzees are intelligent creatures and can read along with feel emotion, then they should also have a limited amount of rights. Any creature that humans can see emotion from should have a certain extent of rights. From chimpanzees to squirrels, it is clear that these animals need to be treated with respect when they are being studied or tested on.
There are many people who claim that animal testing is too expensive because the money needed in order for the lab, scientists, animals and tools, all cost thousands and thousands of dollars. The National Institutes of Health spend billions of dollars of money on its animal research and testing program. If society was to ban animal testing and use other alternative testing, it would cost the same amount or even more. Any type of testing would still be expensive because the cost for the lab, scientists, subjects, and tools would all be the same. Some people say that animal testing is inhumane and that it should be completely eliminated because animals should be entitled to the same rights as humans. Many people in society believe that scientists should not be able to test on animals because they cannot speak for themselves or defend themselves against us humans. Others also say that animals are not ours to eat, experiment on, or wear. However, for many people our own survival is more crucial than those of animals which justifies the reason as to why researchers experiment on animals. Although there are many ways scientists experiment on animals, there are also plenty of humane ways in which scientists and researchers can practice or test their animal subjects. If we do not use animals for subjects in research experiments, our results would end up inaccurate and we could potentially use and waste a lot more time and money that society needs. Since animals are the most similar creatures to us, experimenting on them is necessary but in a humane manner.
5
Because of animal testing, scientists have discovered life changing drugs. Animal testing is crucial to our survival because it has made amazing contributions to our health and to the future. Animal testing works because animals and humans have many genetic similarities. Many supporters of animal testing claim that if animal testing was banned, a lot of the contributions such as medications and procedures, to science and health that we have today would not exist because most research done is through animal testing and the developing of future treatments would be extremely limited. Animal testing is crucial to our ongoing advancements in health and in science because they are the only living option that are genetically similar. Animal testing should not be stopped because it has helped contribute to society for many centuries breaking through highly contagious diseases and making life changing drugs for extreme illnesses.
Although animal testing should not be stopped, that does not mean it should happen in a cruel and inhumane way. There needs to be regulations in which the animals have rights to where they are not being put in physical pain or dying in inhumane ways. Animal testing should continue to ensure human advancements in health and because animals give the closest thing to the most accurate results since they are genetically similar.
6
Works Cited:
"National Institutes of Health (NIH)." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
"Animal Issues." PETA Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
"Animal Testing and Alternative Approaches for the Human Health Risk Assessment under the
Proposed New European Chemicals Regulation Springer." Animal Testing and Alternative
Approaches for the Human Health Risk Assessment under the Proposed New European
Chemicals Regulation Springer. N.p., 01 Oct. 2004. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.
"Principles of Laboratory Animal Science: A Contribution to the Humane Use and Care of
Animals and to the Quality of Experimental Results. CAB Direct." Principles of Laboratory
Animal Science: A Contribution to the Humane Use and Care of Animals and to the Quality of
Experimental Results. CAB Direct. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.
"Download PDFs." Nonanimal Testing Strategies for Assessment of the Skin Corrosion and Skin
Irritation Potential of Ingredients and Finished Products. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.
"Download PDFs." Early Microdose Drug Studies in Human Volunteers Can Minimise Animal
Testing: Proceedings of a Workshop Organised by Volunteers in Research and Testing. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.