Animal testing is still a big topic in many animal rights discussions. It has been an issue since a long, long time and it can’t be resolved easily.
Most people are very emotional when it comes to animal abuse and I totally understand that. I don’t like watching animals suffering either. But you know what I like even less? Humans suffering and dying.
It is selfish, in a way. Maybe hypocritical. I eat meat but I want the animals to be as happy as possible until their death. And to me, animal testing is a similar topic.
It is absolutely unacceptable to use animals to test products that are unnecessary for human survival, like make-up or body lotions. That is just as cruel as keeping hundreds of thousands of animals in a cramped space, pumping them full of hormones and antibiotics and then killing them for our food. Both should be illegal.
But cosmetics aren’t the only thing that is tested on animals. Medication needs testing too and it is where I draw the line between animal cruelty and necessary research. Yes, you can test medication in cell cultures and do simulations. But how it will behave in a living organism, that is often unpredictable without testing it. Many animals, especially mice, die in the name of saving a human life.
Is a human life worth more than that of an animal? Maybe. I think so, you might not. Is it fair that animals must die so we can prevent, treat or cure diseases? Of course not. Do I hope that animal testing can be substituted for something else one day? The sooner the better. We are already on a good path and animals are needed less and less.
But until we find a way to develop medication without the help of any lab animals, there is no other choice. The only thing that can be influenced at the moment is how we treat the animals that serve us. And you can be sure that I will treat every lab animal I encounter with a maximal amount of respect.
I just hope that other scientists do that too.
Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing?
Why Are Animals Necessary in Biomedical Research?
Why animal research is still necessary
”Controversial Topics” is a series where I give my opinion on things from the scientific, usually biological, world. If you want to hear my opinion on something specific, leave a comment!
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