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Jasmine Couch

Prof. Myers

English composition 1101

30 November 2018

Animal Testing

Imagine you are locked in a cage half of your flesh is gone, there are

figures in white coats walking all around you but no one can hear you crying for

help. Disturbing right, that's what these poor animals go through for your own

pleasure of the new makeup or hair product you just bought. Most people don’t

think about this when they buy the products and when they use the products. A

couple years ago there were barely any companies that don't test on animals but

as the years went on more and more companies started using other alternatives.

Testing on animals is inhumane, cruel, and ethically wrong, especially when

there are other alternatives to use. Throughout this argument I am going to be

showing you all the things these animals go through and the effects it has on our

environment.

During the testing process the animals go through so many different test,

sometimes these test do damage to the animals. For example some of their fur

will fall out and not grow back, and they are also injected with fluids that can

cause internal damage. In my opinion this is wrong because they really don't

know if the animals are constantly in pain or if they are fine. The animals aren't
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able to stand up for themselves either which is one of the main problems that a

lot of people see with animal testing. For example some of the animals that get

tested on are dogs, rabbits, cats, mice, rats, and birds along with many other

types of animals. These animals live in stressful environments such as labs,

these labs often make the animals live monotonous and unnatural lives. By living

this way it can cause the animal more stress which can mess up the testing/

experiment that is being conducted on the animal. If the animals are having a

toxicity test they receive the test daily, seven days a week and up to two years

with no recovery period. By doing this the animal is forced to might for their lives,

and some don't make it, others have a slow painful death. Not only do these

animals suffer from physical pain they also suffer from mental illness, their entire

lives whether it be short or long they're locked in cages alone not having any type

of comfort or love. Some may say they're just animals they'll be fine but you

usually don't think that when you're on the couch cuddling with your dog or cat.

These animals that are being tested on also deserve love and affection too

especially since there are other alternatives to use.

After doing massive research about the effects of animal testing I

stumbled upon an article talking about the effects that animal testing has on the

environment. So I decided to do more digging about this topic and while doing

that I found many factual evidence that shows and explain the effect it has. One

of the first things I read was that the labs where the animals are held and where

they are located at all times. Those places produce over 1.5 million pounds of
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waste, such as animal bedding, excrement, and food waste. This amount of

waste that is produced from these place equal to the amount of waste that would

be produced by 637 people. Also something that most of us don’t think about is

the amount of food that is produced. In the article is stated that maryland spend

over half a million dollars on food for the animals. Another thing that was

mentioned in the article was that fact that a lot of the animals from these labs are

contaminated with toxic and hazardous chemicals and they are just dumped.

Which is dangerous because the chemicals that these animals are contaminated

with seep into the ground which can cause major damage to our daily lives. On

the topic of hazardous wastes in 2011 out of all the facilities just thirteen of them

produced seven hundred tons of hazardous waste. These laboratories/factories

also pollute emissions into the air. In 2011 a research factory produced 15

pounds of particulate, 164 pounds of carbon monoxide, 195 pounds of nitrogen

dioxide or nitric oxide, 12 pounds of sulfur dioxide and many other and after

adding all of the pounds that is emitted into the air it ends up being being a lot.

Something that a lot of people don't know is that there are other

alternatives to testing the products. The reason why we don't really know the

other alternatives is because that would mean they would actually have to use

them. I think it's important for us to know this sort of information before we are

asked to make decisions on whether or not it's wrong. So for example one of the

alternative that is available for cosmetic companies it that they can use natural

products such as basil nut oil and bananas. Another thing researchers can do is
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use artificial skin to test the products. Another thing they can use is called Eyetex

which is material that can react to chemicals like a real eye can. By using these

products the can cut down on not only the emission they put off but the amount

of animals that are killed each year. Before doing this research I didn't know

about these alternatives and it's something everyone should know about before

continuing to use the same products from the company that test on animals.

Some may say that there is nothing wrong with animal testing and to be

able to get the most reliable answer we need to use something that is as close to

human dna as we can. Others also say the alternatives options may mislead us

because its not actually real skin or a real eyeball. Scientists have said that we

share 95% of our genes with a mouse. And they also talk about how humans and

animals are very similar because of the same things we share. Animals also

suffer from the same diseases that humans do. For example dogs suffer from

cancer, diabetes, cataracts, ulcers and bleeding disorders which make they the

most reliable source to test on. They also say that there is no evidence that the

animals that are being tested on are actually being treated bad. Another example

as in why animal testing is a good thing is that medicine requires testing to

determine if its safe or not. For example legally new medicines have to be tested

on animals before they are allowed to even use it on humans. These are just

some of the examples as in why animal testing is good and why we should do it.
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One of the last things I am going to talk about throughout this essay

is the pros and cons, I am also going to list some of the companies that test on

animals. For example some of the pros of testing on animals are that it helps

researchers find drug and treatments to improve health and medicine. Some may

also say that the alternative methods of testing do not simulate humans the same

way but the same thing goes with the animals they are testing on. Some

negative/cons about animal testing is that animals and human aren't exactly the

same and animals are killed throughout their experiments which is horrible. And

in some cases the animals aren't treated good which causes them to be under

stress which can mess up the results the researchers get.

After reading what you've read so far you are probably wondering if the

products and companies you use test on animals. Here are some of the

companies that test on animals, Avon, Victoria Secret, and Estee Lauder. Those

are just some of the few cosmetic companies that test on animals and VS is one

of the ones that test on the animals for their perfumes. But their are so many

more companies than these that test on animals, the ones I included are just

three out of the hundreds that do.

In conclusion to this paper my point I was trying to get across was

that testing on animals is inhumane, cruel, and ethically wrong, especially when

there are other alternatives to use. These animals that are being tested on don't

understand why they are being used, all they know is that they are being put in
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chambers and restraights, and are being put through harmful test. Hopefully after

reading this you started thinking about the products you use and if they are worth

inconet animals dying over. You possibly start using cruelty free products and

companies which would not only save the animals but help show theses

companies that what they're doing is wrong.

Work cited

● Jamie A, Davis. “Replacing Animal Models.” Sinclair College Off-Campus

Authentication Form, 2012, onlinelibrary-wiley-

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/doi/book/10.1002/9781119940685.

● Bachli, Groff. “Campaigns.” Animal Research Is Hazardous Waste, 2014,

www.neavs.org/campaigns/environment.
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● Dunnuck, Heather. “Classes Cancelled.” Save the Animals: Stop Animal Testing,

2017, www.lonestar.edu/stopanimaltesting.htm.

● PETA. “These Beauty Brands Are Still Tested on Animals.” PETA, 2015,

www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/beauty-brands-that-you-thought-were-

cruelty-free-but-arent/ .

● McClellan, Joel P. “ Animal Testing.” Sinclair College Off-Campus Authentication

Form, 2013, eds-a-ebscohost-

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=fc30981b-6b35-41ea-a7a5-

f174e6662aba%40pdc-v-

sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3D#AN=89473959&db=ers.

● magee, chris. “Forty Reasons Why We Need Animals in Research |

Understanding Animal Research.” Understanding Animal Research, 2014,

www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/contact-us/science-action-

network/forty-reasons-why-we-need-animals-in-research/.