Professor Morean

English 100.15
9 December 2014
Stop Animal Testing
Humans dont have fur. Obviously, that seems like common sense, but the meaning
behind it is a little more significant. What separates humans from animals? What are the
differences? Are animals different mentally and physically than humans? Why do we still use
them in our medical research? There are so many questions but the answer is so simple.
Alternative procedures for animal testing need to be more prevalent in todays medical field
because animals are not humans and they do suffer from all the pain they endure.
The types of animal testing that our animals go through today are cruel and painful.
Animals are put through testing for vaccines, medicines, toxicology, cosmetics, foods, beverages,
drugs (both illegal and legal), alcohol, cleaning products, pesticides, radioactive substances,
bacterial and viral infections, and diseases. That does not seem fair. Way too many animals are
being put through these tests much more than need be. According to Christoph A. Reinhardt, the
author of Alternatives to Animal Testing: New Ways in the Biomedical Sciences, Trends and
Progress, Approximately one million vertebrate animals were used for research, education, and
testing in the Netherlands in 1990 (Reinhardt, 57). One million animals just in the Netherlands
alone were used for testing, that seems outrageous. That number is very minuscule compared to
what the United States has used. In the book, Animal Experimentation, written by Ronnie D.
Lankford he states, Estimates of the number of animals tortured and killed annually in the U.S.
laboratories diverge widely --- from 17 to 70 million animals (Lankford, 15). This number is

only an estimate because under the Animal Welfare Act, they only require laboratories to submit
the number of non-rodent animals being used to experimentation. When around 80% of
experiments are using rodents, it is hard to actually have a true value, but we can all agree that
the number is very large. Many of these animals are breed to be used in laboratories while others
are taken off the streets. Whether these animals are made for the labs or not they should not be
forced to live a life of pain and suffering, which is why finding alternatives for these procedures
would be the most ideal situations.
Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement these are the Three Rs that started the
awareness of ending animal testing. Two doctors, Dr. William Russell, a zoologist, and Dr. Rex
Burch, a microbiologist, started the ideology of alternative testing when they derived the thought
of the three Rs. The beginning of animal awareness began in the 1960s but really didnt pick up
until the 80s. The first R, replacement, means to find replacements for animals in the tests and
use a more humane system for testing. The second R, reduction, means that if you cant replace
all animals from testing, then reduce the number of animals to the least number possible. Finally
the third R , refinement, means to refine the way of living for these animals, by making the
housing nicer, the treatments more careful, and the procedures more humane. These 3 Rs are
still very prevalent in the world today when it comes to ending the use of animals in testing. The
major issue with ending animal testing is limited awareness on what other procedures can be
used. In the article, Alternatives in Testing written in the Neavs: humane science is superior
science website states,
Some alternatives to the use of animals in testing include in vitro (test tube) test methods
and models based on human cell and tissue cultures, computerized patient-drug databases
and virtual drug trials, computer models and simulations, stem cell and genetic testing

methods, non-invasive imaging techniques such as MRIs and CT Scans, microdosing (in
which humans are given very low quantities of a drug to test the effects on the body on
the cellular level, without affecting the whole body system).
While all of these options are available, a vast majority of laboratories still continue to over use
animals in their procedures. Animal testing is something that is overlooked a lot. Most people
only care that they are getting their food, their medicine, or their makeup but they never think
about what was the process to create something safe for humans to use.
Many people argue with animal testing. There are still many people who support animal
testing and that is why it has not been abolished yet. One main contending point is that the use
of animals in medical test has led to so many successful medical breakthroughs. For example, the
cure for polio was founded through animal testing. In the book, Animal Experimentation written
by David M. Haugen, he interviews a scientist, Albert Sabin, who was on the front line of polio
research. Sabin states, Without animal research, polio would still be claiming thousands of lives
each year (Haugen, 11). This statement is powerful and interesting to think about but if animals
could aid in the process of polio, imagine what our new and improving technology could do.
Also, animals have benefited AIDS research as well. A patient with AIDS, Jeff Getty, underwent
a procedure where they had to inject bone marrow cells into his body donated from a baboon.
Even though the baboon passed away, they were able to help a human with a deadly disease.
Many people believe that the cure from AIDS will inevitably come from animal experimentation
(Haugen, 13). Although people want to hold on to the past and the methods that work, we have
to start thinking about the animals well-being rather than just ourselves. New methods will
happen and will be successful if people open up and let them work. The question still exists is
Animal Experimentation ethical? In the book, Animal Experimentation, written by Stuart W.G

Derbyshire, he states, The Three Rs leave the impression that many experiments on animals
have been unnecessary when these experiments have served as essential links in the cure of
human disease (Derbyshire, 11). Although this statement is valid, technology will eventually be
the new essential link to curing diseases, because there is always another way.
Animals are not humans. The difference between animals and humans far exceeds just
the physical features. The chemical makeup of an animal is much different than a human body.
Yes, we do all have skin, hair, blood, and bone but we do not have the same tissues and cells. On
the website, 11 Facts about Animal Testing, it states, 92% of experimental drugs that are safe
and effective in animals fail in human clinical trials because they are too dangerous or dont
work. This fact is pretty terrifying to think about. Why would people want to stick with animal
testing when a great percent of the time it doesnt go in our favor? Drugs in our body react
differently than they do in animals bodies. For example, on the website, Animal Aid, the article,
Killing Animals and Humans states, Drugs affect animals differently from us. Drugs such as
aspirin and paracetamol, commonly used to treat people, are highly poisonous to cats. Not only
do different drugs respond differently between humans and animals, different diseases affect
humans differently. For example, AIDS will kill off humans but when given to chimpanzees it
doesnt affect them. Also, humans get lung cancer from too much tobacco smoking, but when
making animals inhale tobacco smoke, they do not develop lung cancer. Of course there are
people who argue this stating that animals are the closest thing to being human. But if thats the
case then why cant a test tube but the next closest thing to it.
Another point argued is that people think animals and humans are closely related. Many
people believe that animals are the next closest thing to a human so of course we should test our
procedures on them. Rodents have similar organ structures are humans and chimps have similar

body structures are humans. But little do these people realize that animals have a completely
different genetic and chemical makeup than humans. Some people suggest that you give the
animals the tests then do human trials, but why do we not just attempt human trials without
sacrificing any animals. The medicine, vaccines, and drugs are for our human use, so let us use
ourselves as the tests.
Animals suffer too. People often forget that animals also experience pain. Pain isnt
something just created by the human brain, it is a universal feeling. On the website, Neavs:
Humane Science is Superior Science, in the article Harm and Suffering they state,
In research and testing, animals are subjected to experiments that can include everything from testing new drugs to infecting with diseases, poisoning for toxicity
testing, burning skin, causing brain damage, implanting electrodes into the brain,
maiming, blinding, and other painful and invasive procedures. It can include protocols
that cause severe suffering, such as long-term social isolation, electric shocks,
withholding of food and water, or repeated breeding and separating of infants from
mothers
Humans would be upset if we started to take hostages from our population and test them like we
do our animals. If animals could talk they would be screaming for help. As animal testing
becomes more common as we begin to see a decline in the humanity with which we treat
animals. They become just mindless creatures that are here for our disposal and experimentation.
We take and use all and every candidate we need with no regard for how it affects their species.
Furthermore we see an abuse to how the animals are used. Animal testing is not itself a bad
thing, but the way it has become seen and is performed is.

In conclusion, animal testing needs to be replaced, refined and reduced. There is always
another way to take care of a situation; humans do not have the same properties as animal; and
animals can feel pain too. Animals are more important than just a television set or a sofa, they
are living breathing creatures. Animals have rights under the Animal Welfare Act, they should
not be treated with unfair, cruel treatment or they should be placed under the care of an
appropriate shelter. (Sherry, xxi) We should be owning up to our own consequences and using
ourselves as the bait for our projects. Animals are just as alive as we are. Nothing should be
forced to live a life of pain and suffering.