ANIMAL TESTING

Animals Should Not Be Used in Scientific Testing

Animals Should Not Be Used in Scientific Testing

Introduction

Animal testing for various purposes has been around since ancient times. The testing was primarily used for entertainment purposes and for studying anatomy (Shevelow, 2008). The earliest known record on testing in animals dates back to 3rd century BC. In most of the cases, animals were used for fighting. They would also be cut open and dissected while alive without the use of any medication. One of the main reasons for doing this was that pain medication was not invented until the 19th century. During the last few decades, animal rights have become one of the most foremost ethical concerns. Animal rights activists have come up with the argument that animals are also living beings that should not be killed unethically. During the scientific testing on animals scientists usually use LD50, which is a very lethal dose. Due to this, around 50% of the animals die within the first few weeks of testing.

Thesis Statement

Animal testing for scientific purpose is morally wrong because more 50% of the animals die, usually in two or four weeks after the testing.

Discussion and Analysis

Exclusively referring to cosmetics, scientists take numerous flakes and powdered substances and drop them into the rabbit's eyes. The scientists then monitor the eyes of rabbits for about 72 hours checking them at various intervals. This process gives them an idea about the damage done by the substance to the rabbit's eyes. “Reactions to the substances include swollen eyelids, inflamed irises, ulceration, bleeding, massive deterioration, and blindness,” (Conn, 2008, 24). This test is employed thoughout the cosmetic industry and is known as the Draize Test. Over the last few years, animal right activists have protested against the cruelty to the animals asking for a ban on the Draize Test. They have also asked for the usage of the alternate methods for such testing. According to Bekoff (2007) “By 1981 the cosmetics industry awarded $1 million to Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health to establish the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, CATT.

The other form of test which is conducted on animals is called Acute Toxicity Tests. Such tests try to determine the amount of poison that will kill an animal like rat or a snake. Scientists also use animals for testing especially in the field of toxicology. Such testing aims at producing substances that causes life threatening cancers and other diseases. Most of the items used in the house for daily purpose possess few of these poisons. One of the primary substances used in all such testing includes Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloro-Ehtane, commonly known as DDT.

Numerous other researches have been conducted on the topic of animal rights and they all are of the view that scientific testing on animals should be banned. They base their ideas on the notion that animals are living things who also suffer from pain. If they are subjected to experiments under unethical conditions, then such a practice should be immediately ...