Do Animals Have Rights

Do Animals Have Rights

Animals are used to test the products that we use in our everyday life. Is it ethical or right to test our products on animals? If animal testing were not used, how would the safety of the products we use be insured? If animals were not used in medical testing, how would researchers come up with new medicines and vaccines? Different people have different opinions about this issue. Arguments abound for both sides.

In order to have an organized argument, there must first be an agreed upon standard by which the opposing sides of the arguments are judged. For the argument about the use of animals for laboratory testing, that standard will be the Word of God.

“And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.’ And it was so.” (Genesis 1:24) “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’” (Genesis 1:26) God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” (Genesis 1:28) It is very clear from the first chapter in the Bible that man was put over and in charge of all the earth. This means that man is superior to all other living things on the earth. Does this also mean that man has the right to use animals for laboratory testing? Jesus is quoted as saying, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your ...

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...t. Researchers should constantly be searching for new methods of testing products and medicines. The lab-grown-skin samples that are advocated by the animal rights groups are a terrific step in the right direction. There are obvious uses for these test samples. Many of the cosmetic products that are used today could be tested for toxicity using these alternative testing techniques.

Hopefully they are accurate enough to attract use by companies involved in such testing.

Using the Bible as a standard to judge the two sides of this argument shows that both sides have problems with their reasoning. However, both sides also have good points. It is clear though, that the laboratory testing of animals can be extremely beneficial to mankind. When a person's life can be saved or prolonged, the laboratory testing of animals is a necessary and acceptable practice.