Stop Animal Cruelty: Animal testing.. Good or BAD!?

Animal testing.. This is a controversial issue, that we all argue about time to time, but i wanted to give you the facts and figures of what really happens behind the bars.. literally! Many people may argue that animal testing in labs is good, because we test new drugs out on animals in order to save humans, however a lot of people do argue that animal testing is BAD! In labs, scientists test out new drugs on animals, to see how they react. Many labs actually inject the animals with diseases such as cancers, then they will test the drugs which they feel will work towards curing this disease.. However there is no doubt that animals can experience pain and distress in experiments.

So many people say why test on animals? Although it would be lovely to test drugs in a more humane way this unfortunately cannot be done so easily, so people who are involved in animal use, ensure that:

The necessity and justification for using animals is always critically reviewed.
Everything possible is done to make a quicker approach at humane alternatives.
Everything is done to use as less animals as possible and reduce the suffering and improve their welfare.

Facts

It is estimated around 100 million animals are used in animal testing each year across the world.
Primates and other mammals are the least common animal used in animal testing in the UK.
The majority of animals used in the UK are rats.

So is animal testing as necessary as its said to be?

Testing animals is a way of finding out how human and animal bodies work, and also for testing cosmetics, drugs and chemicals. Scientists who test on animals regularly say that their is no other way of finding the information they need, than to test on animals as their is no achievement if they use computer models or cell cultures. However their is debate about testing on certain animals because of the value of information given out, for example, mice. Are results from experiments from mice really relevant to human biology and medicine? so why would they use mice, and as told in my facts that most of the animals used are rats, so why mice and rats if they have not got relevant DNA to human biology? Some could say its because rats and mice are over populating.

''A key question in science is not whether something can be done, but whether it should it be done.'' this was stated by Dr Maggy Jennings, research animals department, RSPCA.

The UK government annual statistics in 2010 reveal that 3.54 million animals suffered and died in British laboratories in experiments. THIS NEEDS TO STOP!

Over 3,000 primates are used each year in the UK for testing, primates are tested on to see how their brains function, but again to also test drugs on. Primates are highly intelligent animals, and experience pain and emotions in a similar way to humans so this is a major concern!

''The government consistently issues blatantly dishonest statements, claiming that UK regulations 'permit only essential research with clear medical benefits.' in fact the statistics shows that thousands of animals are used in poisoning tests for non- pharmaceutical substances.''

So overall, on my research on this topic i have realised the goods and bads of animal testing. My opinion is that animal testing is bad and should be stopped however, without animal testing how would we survive without the drugs made from testing on them, although i do feel strongly that their could be a more humane way of testing drugs, chemicals and cosmetics. Scientists over the years have discovered so much and invented so many ideas and technology so surely one day they will be able to make a more humane way to testing. Well i hope so!

thankyou for reading, i will leave some pictures at the end for you to look at,

Many thanks,

Save_TheAnimal x