| There is much controversy over the use of animals | | | | hamsters, gerbils and rabbits can provide a better |
| for research. The practice is known as animal | | | | basis for human comparison in drug and genetic |
| experimentation, animal research or in vivo testing is | | | | testing. Cats are used in neurological testing. Dogs are |
| conducted worldwide. Over 100 million animals are | | | | use in cardiology, endocrinology and bone and joint |
| used annually for this research. | | | | studies. Monkeys are used in drug testing, AIDS, |
| The research is conducted at universities, medical | | | | neurology, behavior and tissue and organ |
| schools, pharmaceutical companies, farms, defense | | | | transplantation. |
| industries and commercial facilities. The purpose is the | | | | The animals are supplied by Class A breeders licensed |
| study of genetics, developmental biology, behavioural | | | | to sell them for research purposes. Licensed Class B |
| patterns, tissue and organ transplantation and drug | | | | breeders can sell them from random sources i.e. |
| testing. | | | | shelters, auctions. Four states require shelters to sell |
| The practice of animal testing dates back to the | | | | them for research and fourteen states prohibit this |
| Greeks. Before applying surgical procedures to | | | | practice. |
| humans, animals were used to verify the method. | | | | The debate is over how much pain and suffering an |
| Louis Pasteur induced anthrax in sheep proving his | | | | animal is exposed to and how cruel is the practice. In |
| germ theory. Ivan Pavlov used dogs to demonstrate | | | | some cases, the pain is momentary, some cases |
| classical conditioning. Insulin was isolated in dogs. | | | | anesthesia is used and others there is no pain relief. |
| Antibiotics and a vaccine for leprosy was developed | | | | If it suffers intensely, it may be euthanized before |
| in armadillos. In 1996, Dolly the Sheep was the first | | | | regaining consciousness. |
| mammal to be cloned. | | | | The current position by most countries is that animal |
| Drug testing using animals became a significant part | | | | testing is desirable to gain medical knowledge if the |
| of the drug development process. To avoid new | | | | suffering and use is minimal. The testing must benefit |
| drugs from coming on the market and causing bad | | | | human beings in saving lives. Minority groups argue |
| reactions, Congress passed a law in 1937 requiring the | | | | that animals have rights and testing is in violation of |
| new drug to be tested on animals first. | | | | these rights. Most countries have adapted the three |
| The fruit fly and the nematode worm are the most | | | | Rs principle: used non-animal methods when possible, |
| used invertebrate. Although they can be studied in | | | | obtain information from fewer animals or more |
| large numbers, they lack an adaptive immune system | | | | information from the same number of animals and |
| which limited their use. Rats, mice, guinea pigs, | | | | minimize pain and suffering. |