The Benefits of Animal Research, Testing, and Experimentation

Animal rights are held entirely too high in regard. Many activist do not realize the benefits of testing on animals. They claim that it is "unethical" or "cruel" to perform experiments on such creatures. The truth is, the world as a whole has advanced tremendously in the past century due to animal experimentation. We are affected every day by at least one thing that has been influenced by animal testing. Many of the things we take for granted would not exist if it were not for experimenting with animals. The medicine that we need, the education that we receive, and the products that we use are just a few of the benefits that these animals bring to us. We should look at animals, not as poor defenseless creatures that are subject to cruel experiments, but as heroes that have improved almost every aspect of our life in todays society.

In contrast, opponents to animal testing believe that animals have a right to live as a human being. The rights of animals are even claimed in the "Universal Declaration of the Rights of Animals" proposed by the International League of the Rights of Animals. There are also opposers who believe that it is wrong to hurt any living creature. People such as Michael Fox, a professor at Queen's University of Kingston Ontario, has based his theory of the unjustification of animal experimentation on "the principle of maleficence." This principle states that it is simply wrong to harm creatures that do not want to hurt you. The problem with this statement is that we value the life of an animal lower than a human life. Some experiments can only be done on animals. For example, we could not subject a human to a potential toxin or other harmful chemicals. Some other experiments measure life expectancy and would...

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...ause the actual virus is introduced into the blood stream. However, in the end the death of the animal is justified by the lives of the humans it saves. There is always a price to pay for the benefit for mankind.

We should care for all animals living on this planet. However, the sacrifice of animals for the benefit of mankind surpasses all doubt whether or not animal experimentation is ethical. They have helped us more than we can ever imagine. Thanks to animals, we have advanced in all areas of living. Our medical standards are higher and our education is better. Animal testing has made available more products and improved technology. Although from the animals' perspective it might seem harsh and inhumane, from the scientist's point of view, one can clearly see that these animals are heroes that have helped the human race survive and advance in our world today.