A Case Study on Animal Testing Essay

Imagine a world where humans are taken to laboratories and tested on in a callous manner. A world where people are injected with harsh drugs and chemicals that physically and mentally harm their bodies and their life. If this scenario does not sound acceptable to act upon humans, then it surely cannot be right for animals. Right now in the world thousands of animals are experiencing this, and it most defiantly is not fair. Animal testing should be stopped because it is not only cruel, but unnecessary since there are alternative testing methods and animal rights. See more: Examples of satire in adventures of huckfinn essay The statistics of animal testing reflect the cruel and inhumane behavior that it exercises. Tests sometimes require thousands of animals and can last for one month or even an animal’s entire life. (Watson, 2009, Animal Testing p.32) The tests affect the animals in a brutal, harsh manner that could result in death. In fact 50% of all animals that are tested on end up dying. (â€Å"Pros and Cons of Animal Testing† 2013, para. 2) America is one of the countries that tests on animals most commonly. Government facilities in America that subject to animal testing are the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Transportation, National Toxicology Program, and the Department of Agriculture. But surprisingly these tests aren’t required by law in America. (Peta, â€Å"Animal Testing 101†, para. 3) Over 100 million animals suffer each year and $1 million is spent on experiments and equipment for testing. Animal testing uses 40 % of all research funding from the U.S. National Institute of Health. (Watson, 2009, Animal Testing p.9) It is necessary that the statistics of animal testing are revealed to those who have been misinformed or undereducated of the issue. The despicable methods of testing that are used presently have shown to be brutal and potent. The experiments involve the usage of rats, birds, guinea  pigs, cats, monkeys, goats, rabbits, fish, mice, and dogs. (â€Å"Vivisection†, 6th ed., p.1, 2013) The experiments are mainly for the purpose of cosmetics, medicine, household cleaners. A lethal poisoning test invented around the time of World War I—in which animals are force-fed increasing doses of a chemical until they die–is still the single most common animal test in use today. Examples of the drugs and chemicals that are used on the creatures are penicillin, morphine, and aspirin- all of which have the potential to kill the animals. The animals are burned, shocked, isolated, forcibly restrained, addicted to drugs, and receive brain damage. (Edwards, 2011, â€Å"Animal Testing†) The methods of testing are dermal penetration, eye irritancy, carcinogenicity. acute toxicity, reproductive and DEV toxicity, neurotoxity, skin corrosivity/irritation, ecotoxicity, and pyrogeniaty. (â€Å"Vivisection†, 6th ed., p.1, 2013) Also, the conditions in the laboratories are unsanitary and horrible for living. The animals are deprived of food and water, their waste is not kept after, and they are closely packed in small cages regardless of their state of health. The worst part is that the animals are given no pain killers of put under anesthesia, therefore they are forced to suffer for countless hours. This way of so-called â€Å"science† is extremely atrocious to the lives of animals, and needs to be stopped for good. The methods of animal testing that are generally used in America are unnecessary since there are alternative methods of testing. Richard Klausner, former head of the National Cancer Institute, once said, â€Å" We have cured mice of cancer for decades and it simply didn’t work in humans† (â€Å"Pros and Cons of Animal Testing† 2013, para. 5) Basically what Klausner is saying is that it is hard to fix humane issues by testing on animals. The results will usually come out as inaccurate or unreliable. The differences between a human body and an animal body are very distinct. There are animatic, metabolic, and cellular difference between the two. There are endless alternative options to replace the merciless environment of regular animal testing. Scientists can study cell cultures by using computer modeling, create artificial human skin, use â€Å"Vitro† testing, and even test on human volunteers! These new methods harm no living creatures and are becoming inc reasingly popular. (Peta, â€Å"Animal Testing 101†, para. 6) For example, the makers of botox have begun to run tests on cells in a lab dish instead of on live animals. Also, it was found that sunscreen can be tested on humans and brings results that are accurate 93% of the time. It is time to turn animal testing into a relic of the past, because better methods exist that are efficient. Lastly, animals deserve to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation. Animals’ rights are just as equal to the rights that humans possess. All animals have the ability to suffer in the same way and to the same degree that humans do. They feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and motherly love. Animals also show loyalty, and communicate with each other. (â€Å"Animal Rights Movement† 2001, Animal Rights section) Supporters of animal rights believe that animals have an inherent worth—a value completely separate from their usefulness to humans. Animals do not have a voice, so therefore, humans are their voice. Most animal rights activists stick to the idea that animals should be free to do as they please, which is not a hard task to accomplish. It is very easy to leave animals where they belong, and let them live their life naturally and without human interference. Animals should be as free as people to roam about and do their animal things unmolested and restrained by humans. So that is exactly what needs to be done. Humans need to understand that animals should have basic rights; the right to not be tortured, neglected or killed needlessly. Overall, animal testing can be described as plainly wrong. Animal testing should be stopped because it is not only cruel, but unnecessary since there are other testing options and animals have rights. Animals rarely serve as good models for the human body therefore animal experimenters are simply wasting the innocent lives of animals. The animals undergo poisoning, shocking, burning, and even death. These methods can be avoided because there are alternative options, so animal testing can be deemed as unneeded and inefficient. In conclusion, animal testing should be eliminated because it violates animals’ rights, it causes pain and suffering to the experimental animals, and other means of testing product toxicity are available.