Animal Testing and Researching

Animal Testing and Researching

Animal testing is supported by some, but opposed to others. The growing number of animals used in research differs among the different countries. The fruit fly and nematode are the most used animal in testing. However, the most common mammals used in animal research are mice and rats. Shaved albino rabbits and guinea pigs suffer severe testing for skin irritancy and eye irritancy. Though the usage of non-human primates are outlawed in some countries, the U.S. still finds the need to use them. The U.S. government uses tax dollars for testing pesticides and flourine products on animals.

Animal testing has been a subject of controversy throughout the years. Though it may seem like a ?cruel and unusual punishment? to some, others see it as an opportunity to expand the knowledge of our constantly changing society. These experiments are the beginning of a new perspective in scientific evolution, but an end for others. Some examples of animal researching and testing would be mutagenesis, evolution, genetics, product safety, and so forth.

According to the Laboratory Primate Advocacy Group, it is estimated that one hundred million animals are experimented on around the world and twenty-three to twenty-five million belong to the United States. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that in 2004, 26,573 rabbits, 105,678 farm animals, 64,932 dogs, 23,640 cats, 54,998 non-human primates, 244,104 guinea pigs, 175,721 hamsters and 171,321 other mammals--excluding mice and rats which make up over 80% of the number of animals tested on. The number of mice and rats are not recorded, but it is estimated that a plethora of these animals are utilized, ranging from fifteen million to twenty million. (Wikipedia...

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...wn life. People?s beliefs differ with their background, whether animal testing is a pro or con. Nowadays, animals are tested a lot more humanely than the past. Fortunately, researchers are finding more alternatives to testing animals and the numbers of unnecessary deaths are decreasing.

Bibliography

Bennie I. Osburn, DVM, PhD, Dean. "The Mouse in Science: Why Mice? ." . 1996. UC Davis. 22 July 2006 .

Best, Steven; Bentham, Jeremy; Francione, Gary; Langley, Gill . "Wikipedia." . 23 July 2006. . 23 July 2006 .

"U.S. Government Testing Programs." . . . 23 July 2006 .

"World Animal Net: Cosmetics Testing - Background." . . British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. .