Should commercial testing on animals be banned?

Animals are living organisms; they have been in existence from the beginning of mankind. Animals are special and can do virtually all human-related tasks independent of their sizes and shapes. They walk, make noises, chew, breathe, and replicate, among other prominent features. Since the beginning of the human race, animals have been used by humans for all kinds of activities and have often been exposed to all types of cruel and inhumane abuse. Animal flesh is consumed as meat by people all over the world, their hides have been used for clothes and shoes, and their milk has been used as a meal. Irrespective of all these actions carried out by human beings on animals; the most alarming of human actions against animals is the development known as commercial animal testing. Animal testing is the use of non-human animals for scientific experiments and most of often for drug and medical testing. These actions have been practiced for several decades, and it is gradually becoming a norm in the society. There is a need to point out that this practice is wrong and should be discouraged. The study develops its thesis statement along the above postulation with a vivid opposition to any form commercial animal testing, and provides authentic arguments in support of its thesis and sums up its ideas at the end study with a sound conclusion.

Key words: animal testing, drug testing, medical testing.

Commercial Testing On Animals Should Be Banned

Arguments in support of animal testing

Based on the nature of this essay, being an argumentative easy there is need to start by pointing out that there have been some augments in support of commercial animal testing, such arguments include a claim that such testing is carried out in a bid for new discoveries in the medical field and other fields of science. Some augments in supports of the animal experiments have also been based on the fact that animals cannot speak in clear terms, cannot reason and response to situations like a human being will do. It is impossible to understand if scientific testing could cause them any form of pain. There have also been claims that animal testing is for the greater good of the society hence it must be supported (Brent, 1964). It is needed to point out that this study disagrees with the postulations of this group of people and therefore their claims will be refuted by this study beginning form in the section below.

Arguments against animal tastings

Animal testing is cruel and inhuman; there is need to enlighten the society about the magnitude of the inhuman conditions such animal are meant to go through during the process of commercial animal testing. Such animals are subjected to force inhalation, forced feeding some are not given water for an extended period, while others are allowed to go through a prolonged period for physical restraints. Other animals are inflicted with massive burns and wounds which cause an untold amount of pain just in a bid to study the remedies and healing process. The process continues for some animals they meet their end in the hands of poisonous gasses such as carbon dioxide asphyxiation, others suffer untold pains and later died as a result of neck breaking, decapitation, and other inhuman methods. This situation is unacceptable and such pain that these innocent creatures are made to go through must be discouraged the need to stop and the ban any form of commercial animal testing in the society (Prasad, 2016).

Animals have some difference from human beings, hence, they are will make poor test subjects. There are clear metabolic cellular and anatomic differences between the human body and that of animals, thus, the need to understand that animals will make poor testing tool. Research the field of clinical neuroimaging have pointed out the enormous difference between the biological configurations of animals and that of human, stating that there is no need to subject those animals into such pain as they are not a useful tool for testing. Animals are smaller, and some of them have a different body configuration when compared to that of humans; therefore they should not be expected have a similar reaction to drugs and any other chemicals like humans.

There have been occasions where drugs have passed animals test and have resulted in a massive disaster when consumed by human beings. In the 1950s thalidomide which was tested on animals and considered okay before it was released for commercial use. The drug resulted in the birth of about 10,000 babies with all forms of deformities and the event resulted in serious societal crisis at the time. The result of the thalidomide proves that the human bodily configuration is different from that of animals and successful drug test on animals may lead to adverse effect on human beings (“Should animals be used for scientific or commercial testing?”, 2017).

Commercial animal testing could be missing leading in its outcome it is important to note that some chemical in manufactured drugs could be harmful to animals but could be of immense benefits to human beings. A good example of this scenario was depicted during the commercial testing of aspirin the drug proved to be very dangerous to certain species of animals however it does not have such effect on humans. Statistics have shown that over 94% of drugs that gave passed animal tests have failed when applied to human beings. There is no evidence to prove that animal testing is a prerequisite for significant medical advances. Animal testing should be discouraged, and other alternatives should be developed to replace animal testing (“Should animals be used for scientific or commercial testing?”, 2017).

There is a need to also look at the financial and religious consideration for animal testing. Research as proven that animal test is more expensive when compared to other methods and most times the adoption of commercial animal testing has constituted to a massive waste of national resource. The Human Society International has provided a vivid proof effectively depicting the high cost of animal testing compared to other methods. The organization claims that an unscheduled DNA synthesis test using animal specimens cost $ 32,000 while the utilization of the in-vitro cost $ 11,000. Based on the postulations of the human society, it is expedient to advocate the need for banning animal testing, because it does not only cause untold pain to the animals, but also result in an enormous waste of resources.

Religion also teaches us to be kind to animals, stating that we should be merciful to them and should not carry out actions that will hurt them (Prasad, 2016). Experimenting with animals is a process, which causes an untold level of suffering, based on religious postulations, which are also a primary guide for societal behavior, animal testing should be banned.

Conclusion

To sum up, animals are beautiful creatures mostly harmless if well nurtured and catered Animals are also considered to be the friends human. Nowadays we face the realities of commercial animal testing. The practices of this form of testing are predominant in the medicine and the fields of science laboratory test. Based on the consideration the act of commercial animal experiments in the study, it must be reemphasized the act to be inhumane, unnecessary and preparatory for moral injustice to animals. Animal testing results in pains for the animals and most times lead to cruel deaths. Over the years various researchers have proven that animal testing is not a primary requirement for medical advancements and history has also shown that animal testing can be misleading. Hence, the study refutes all augments in supports of commercial animal test and recommends that the act should be banned based all the negatives consequences associated with the practices of commercial animal testing.

References

Brent, R.L. (1964). Drug testing in animals for teratogenic effects : Thalidomide in the pregnant rat. (The Journal of Pediatrics), 64(5), 762-770.

Prasad, Bh. (2016). A review on drug testing in animals. (Translational Biomedicine), 7(4). Retrieved on November 25, 2016 from http://www.transbiomedicine.com/translational-biomedicine/a-review-on-drug-testing-in-animals.php?aid=17736

Should animals be used for scientific or commercial testing? (2017). Retrieved from http://animal-testing.procon.org/

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