A
AgainstAnimalTesting
Guest
I am doing an argumentative piece on animal testing and I need to know why animal testing is wrong! I already have all this info:
Stop Animal Testing!
Animal testing is cruel, inhumane and just plain stupid! It’s distressing for the animals, as well as the animal lovers out there who might stumble upon pictures of a dissected frog, or a rabbit missing an eye. The animals are covered in a lethal amount of makeup, or injected with cancer or a similar disease to see how/if/when they die. They may live, but more likely than not, will loose a body part or even their life!
But if animal testing is so cruel, why isn’t the Government doing anything about it?
Animal testing is legal, although there are certain ‘Animal Cruelty’ guidelines testers must follow. But do they? Are they strict enough? Why can’t they just ban animal testing all together?
TESTS CONDUCTED ON ANIMALS
Animals are used in many different types of experiments; all experiments cause pain and suffering. The animals involved will either die as a result of the experiment or be deliberately killed afterwards, often for post mortem examination.
In the laboratory an animal may be poisoned; deprived of food, water or sleep; applied with skin and eye irritants; subjected to emotional stress; deliberately infected with disease; brain damaged; paralyzed; surgically injured; irradiated; burned; gassed; force fed and electrocuted. Researchers around the world use animals to test or develop almost anything from household products, cosmetics and food additives to pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, agrochemicals, pet foods, medical devices, tobacco and alcohol products.
Genetic engineering experiments subject animals to myriad forms of physical deformity as well as more subtle forms of suffering.
Military experiments subject animals to the effects of poisonous gas, decompression sickness, blast wounds, burns and radiation as they assess new and existing weapons and surgical techniques 'in the field'. Animals are even used in 'curiosity driven' research. In fact, almost all of the products used and consumed by humans every day around the world, will have been tested on animals at some point in time.
DIFFERENT TESTS
The Draize Eye Test
This test is used to test shampoos, weed-killers, pesticides and household. The substances are applied to the eyes of conscious rabbits in order to test irritancy. Apart from the cruelty of this test, a rabbit's eye is a bad model and there are major differences between a rabbit's eye and a human eye. Usually the animal looses it's eye.
The LD50
Rabbits, dogs, cats, mice and guinea pigs are used in the LD50 test and it's used to test lipsticks, skin-care products such as moisturizers and cleaners, shampoos and nail polish. The LD50 test (Lethal Dose 50 percent) is administered by introducing the ingredients under investigation into the animal via the mouth. The animal is fed up to 50 percent of its body weight and the aim of the test is to find the dose which will kill half the animal sample. For the test to be valid statistically, a minimum of 50 animals are required.
Skin Test for Toxicity
Rats are used in this test. Their fur is shaved and the substance to be tested is applied thickly to the exposed skin. The skin is frequently broken to increase absorption.
ANIMALS COMMONLY USED FOR TESTING
Apes & other monkeys are commonly used for testing, as they are ‘close to humans, but not close enough for it to be cruel.’ The apes are placed in tiny cages that are seldom cleaned out and tested on, usually ending up dead.
Rats and Mice are used in a large proportion of experiments, because they are easy to handle and cheap to keep. They occupy less space in a laboratory than larger animals and can produce 50 - 100 babies a year.
Rabbits are commonly used for eye and skin tests because they are easy to handle and they have a very limited ability to 'cry away' substances from their eyes during experiments.
Guinea Pigs are also commonly used in skin testing and batch testing for substances such as vaccines.
Dogs and Primates are commonly used in toxicity testing, brain research, dental research and surgical experiments. The most common breed of laboratory dog is the beagle, chosen primarily because they are good-natured and a manageable size for testing procedures. Primates such as baboons, macaques, marmosets and chimps continue to be used in their thousands.
Other animals commonly used for research include cats, birds, fish, pigs, horses, sheep and hamsters, but many other species are used as well.
OTHER CRUEL FACTS
An animal dies in an EU lab every three seconds.
Estimates say that annually; 60 to 100 million animals worldwide are being used for testing. 70% of these are mice or rats. Most animals are used in only one procedure: animals either die because of the experiment or are euthanized afterwards.
AT LEAST One animal in NSW is killed ever
Stop Animal Testing!
Animal testing is cruel, inhumane and just plain stupid! It’s distressing for the animals, as well as the animal lovers out there who might stumble upon pictures of a dissected frog, or a rabbit missing an eye. The animals are covered in a lethal amount of makeup, or injected with cancer or a similar disease to see how/if/when they die. They may live, but more likely than not, will loose a body part or even their life!
But if animal testing is so cruel, why isn’t the Government doing anything about it?
Animal testing is legal, although there are certain ‘Animal Cruelty’ guidelines testers must follow. But do they? Are they strict enough? Why can’t they just ban animal testing all together?
TESTS CONDUCTED ON ANIMALS
Animals are used in many different types of experiments; all experiments cause pain and suffering. The animals involved will either die as a result of the experiment or be deliberately killed afterwards, often for post mortem examination.
In the laboratory an animal may be poisoned; deprived of food, water or sleep; applied with skin and eye irritants; subjected to emotional stress; deliberately infected with disease; brain damaged; paralyzed; surgically injured; irradiated; burned; gassed; force fed and electrocuted. Researchers around the world use animals to test or develop almost anything from household products, cosmetics and food additives to pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, agrochemicals, pet foods, medical devices, tobacco and alcohol products.
Genetic engineering experiments subject animals to myriad forms of physical deformity as well as more subtle forms of suffering.
Military experiments subject animals to the effects of poisonous gas, decompression sickness, blast wounds, burns and radiation as they assess new and existing weapons and surgical techniques 'in the field'. Animals are even used in 'curiosity driven' research. In fact, almost all of the products used and consumed by humans every day around the world, will have been tested on animals at some point in time.
DIFFERENT TESTS
The Draize Eye Test
This test is used to test shampoos, weed-killers, pesticides and household. The substances are applied to the eyes of conscious rabbits in order to test irritancy. Apart from the cruelty of this test, a rabbit's eye is a bad model and there are major differences between a rabbit's eye and a human eye. Usually the animal looses it's eye.
The LD50
Rabbits, dogs, cats, mice and guinea pigs are used in the LD50 test and it's used to test lipsticks, skin-care products such as moisturizers and cleaners, shampoos and nail polish. The LD50 test (Lethal Dose 50 percent) is administered by introducing the ingredients under investigation into the animal via the mouth. The animal is fed up to 50 percent of its body weight and the aim of the test is to find the dose which will kill half the animal sample. For the test to be valid statistically, a minimum of 50 animals are required.
Skin Test for Toxicity
Rats are used in this test. Their fur is shaved and the substance to be tested is applied thickly to the exposed skin. The skin is frequently broken to increase absorption.
ANIMALS COMMONLY USED FOR TESTING
Apes & other monkeys are commonly used for testing, as they are ‘close to humans, but not close enough for it to be cruel.’ The apes are placed in tiny cages that are seldom cleaned out and tested on, usually ending up dead.
Rats and Mice are used in a large proportion of experiments, because they are easy to handle and cheap to keep. They occupy less space in a laboratory than larger animals and can produce 50 - 100 babies a year.
Rabbits are commonly used for eye and skin tests because they are easy to handle and they have a very limited ability to 'cry away' substances from their eyes during experiments.
Guinea Pigs are also commonly used in skin testing and batch testing for substances such as vaccines.
Dogs and Primates are commonly used in toxicity testing, brain research, dental research and surgical experiments. The most common breed of laboratory dog is the beagle, chosen primarily because they are good-natured and a manageable size for testing procedures. Primates such as baboons, macaques, marmosets and chimps continue to be used in their thousands.
Other animals commonly used for research include cats, birds, fish, pigs, horses, sheep and hamsters, but many other species are used as well.
OTHER CRUEL FACTS
An animal dies in an EU lab every three seconds.
Estimates say that annually; 60 to 100 million animals worldwide are being used for testing. 70% of these are mice or rats. Most animals are used in only one procedure: animals either die because of the experiment or are euthanized afterwards.
AT LEAST One animal in NSW is killed ever