Jacqueline 1
Information Technology High School
Jacqueline Camacho
English 8
Ms. Hyde
3/27/08
Animal Experimentation
Throughout, decades, the issue on Animal Experimentation has been proven
to be controversial, stirring up turmoil within point and counterpoint perspectives.
The safety of a human’s life over the safety of an animal’s life should always
be the main priority, but why do some people insist on becoming advocates
and activists against this priority, when in fact they are humans, themselves.
Therefore, Scientists should be allowed the right to experiment on animals,
to prevent illnesses, and death from spreading among human beings.
Hypothetically, in the case in which involves a woman, a boy and a dog
on a boat in the middle of the ocean. And while in the middle of the ocean,
something happens to the Boat and it begins to sink, the woman then realizes
that she must get rid of some weight. So, who will be tossed overboard, the
dog, or the boy? This is a type of scenario that Animal Activists despise,
because it emphasizes why Animals do not have the same rights as humans.
Even the most determined, narrow minded activist would have to accede that
saving the dog’s life instead of the boy’s life is immoral, illustrating
that the value of Human life is far greater than the value of an Animal’s
life. Even a Chimpanzee, who is publicized by animal rights activists as
intellectually advanced, can never have a life as varied and complex as a
person. According to Philosophy professor R.G (Animal life is based on the
sole purpose of survival, human life however has endless possibilities, which
range from love, Marriage, educating children, jobs, hobbies, sporting events,
cultural pursuits, intellectual development and striving etc). (pg. 27-28)
Animals do not have the rights as people do because they are incapable
of fulfilling the duties that come with such rights, such as respecting life.
According to Charles R. Pulver, “If an eagle has a legal right to life, isn’t
he bound to respect the same rights granted to the filed mouse?”(pg.25).
Meaning, if Animals don’t respect each other’s rights and they use each other
for their own benefits and gains. Why is it defined immoral for us to do
the same? Scientists are using animals for the benefits of scientific research
with the proper gains that scientific successes will result from them.
Consequentially, Animals are not equal to humans, written by Damon Linker
“Human beings experience life, even at its most ‘animalistic’ level, in a
way that fundamentally differs from other creatures.” (pg.35). The argument
that Linker presents depicts that animals can never be equal to humans because
they are not moral creatures, they cannot differentiate between right and
wrong like humans do. Therefore, permitting animals to have legal rights
as humans have will be signified as demeaning to our society. Animals can’t
record facts and utter them in sentences as we do, animals don’t have the
capability to ponder and act with a conscious, and they act by instinct,
an instinct that can get vicious, because it depends on the sole purpose
of survival. But, we know better than to act with our instincts, some of
us think of the consequences and how it affects others around us.
Moreover, Religion plays a large role in people’s beliefs about animal
experimentation and the good it has done in the past and what good will come
of it always. A group called Seriously III for Medical Research (SIMR) works
as a patient’s group formed to gain support for humane research into human
diseases. Their viewpoint illustrates that all of the world’s major religions
believe that human life is more valuable than animal life, and therefore
accept animal experimentation for human benefit. The religions also agree
that all animal experimentation should be conducted as humanely as possible.
Great Britain has already guaranteed laws that protect the welfare of all
animals used in research. The religions that undergo using animals in research
are Baptists, Methodists, Quakers, Judaists, Islamic, Hinduisms, Sikhism’s,
and Buddhists. The Bible notes that God said, “([Let … [humankind] have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every creeping
thing that creep upon the earth.])” (pg.10). Because it was God himself who
intended for humans to rule the world…provided animals to benefit us, to
be used as any necessity we need. If god allows it why do animal activists
and advocates question the morality within animal experimentation it’s not
only questioning the circle of life but God himself.
The most frequent point in an Animal Experimentation discussion is if
the Species of the animal makes a difference. Anyone, who observes a mother
Gorilla holding her off spring or sees chimpanzees interacting with one another,
can tell that these animals are in fact a lot like us, humans. In fact that
is why Scientists use them in medical experimentations. Humans and Chimpanzees
have a very important similarity that Scientists find useful; their DNA is
98.5 percent compatible to us. And their genetic structures are so similar
to ours that according to physiologist Jared Diamond [“we, humans are the
third chimpanzee”] (pg.53).
Although, the majority of animal research is done by using
mice and rats. But, primates are used as research subjects only
when a Scientific hypothesis cannot be solved by using other species.
When primates are used, the lower significant primates such as monkeys
are used whenever, necessary. Chimpanzees are used only when the
Scientific hypothesis requires the use of a higher primate species
such as, apes.
Even though, animals are used fur experimentation, there is a
law that protects them from exploitations and abuse. The Animal
Welfare Act is a federal law that governs the human care, handling,
treatment and transportation of some animals in some situations like
animals in laboratories, dealers who sell animals to laboratories,
animal exhibitors, Carriers and intermediate handlers, dog and cat
breeders, puppy mills, Zoos, Circuses, roadside menageries and transporters
of animals. But, the Animal Welfare Act does not protect during
an experiment, regardless of how painful or unnecessary, the experiment
might be. The unprotected and excluded from the act are retail
pet stores, State and County fairs, livestock shows, rodeos, purebred
dog and cat shows and fairs and exhibitions that are said to
be advancing agricultural art and sciences.
“Nice people stand up for [mice and rats] in the lab”. They don’t think
about the nice, but sick, human beings who are helped by animal
research”, (pg.139) said by Debra Saunders a Columnist for the San
Francisco Chronicle. She believes that rats and mice should not
be included in the Animal Welfare Act.” According to Saunders,
animal rights activists have reached a Compromise with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to include mice and rats in the Welfare
Act, Current budget cuts and protests from researchers have prolonged
the change. John Hopkins University in Baltimore believes that the
paper wash provided and required by the Animal Welfare Act, stands as
a research killer. It is one thing to require labs to keep a census on all
laboratory animals as, the act required, but mice are different from other
animals. Mice can provide litters, every 21 days and live for only two or
three years. The University has 42,000 mice, 3,000 rats and 300 birds. The
Campus is investing in a facility that will allow it to keep up to 140, 000
rodents, many of them are “transgenic mice”, mice that model the symptoms
of human diseases.
Kevin O’Donnell, a molecular biologist stated that “Biotechnology has
the potential to develop cures for all human genetic diseases.”, (pg. 196).
Bioengineers can manipulate the genes of an animal to produce a gene that
when implanted into a seriously ill human it will make the patient well again.
The new tools which allows us, humans to change the genetic structure of
animals, (transgenic animals) allows us to do several types of things that
can potentially benefit the patients. Doctors use Gene Therapy to change
the genes in our own cells, to correct the types of mistakes and mutations,
which cause diseases. Scientists can significantly change the animals in
ways that lead to new treatments for humans, through Gene Pharming and Xeno-Transplantation.
Gene Pharming and Xeno-Transplantation are two methods that are said
to give beneficial results. Gene Pharming is used by producing a genetically
engineered animal. This is done by inserting the human gene into embryonic
cells, then implanting them into the wombs of mother animals, where they
grow and are born in the normal way. Xeno- Transplantation is done by using
organs from animals to replace diseased ones in humans, instead of using
donated human organs. Yes, there are the risks of viruses being transmitted
but if researchers and scientists are denied the use of the method, we will
never find out about the possible success that it can bring.
In, 1996, scientists, Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell revolutionized history
by cloning a sheep in which they named Dolly. The scientists believe that
the use of cloning can produce more suitable laboratory animals and more
productive cows and to reproduce endangered species. They also claim that
cloning avoids the problems
involving inbreeding, which frequently results in Offspring’s infected by
genetic disorders.
Susan E. Paris is president of Americans for Medical Progress, an Organization
that works to raise public awareness concerning the use of animals in experimentation.
She believes that using animals as organ donors is necessary because there
are not enough human donors to meet the demand for organs. Paris, states
that thousands of human lives can be saved by transplanting into healthy
organs of animals into humans with kidney, liver and other problems. But,
she also claims that health risks are involved, such as the transference
of disease that is associated with transplanting the organs of one species
to another. Another essential role played in Xeno- Transplantation is courage.
Jeff Getty, a man who underwent a baboon bone marrow transplant in December
of the year 1995, underwent the operation in attempt to boost up his immune
system, in its fifteen year battle of HIV. Doctors could not specify with
certainty what would happen, when the marrow was infused into his blood stream.
One possible outcome was death but the true out come in this matter was success.
Getty’s operation was a miracle marvel, scientists have said that Getty is
doing well and they are now performing this procedure on other AIDS patients.
Scientists have focused on human safety from diseases and illnesses but animal
experimentation is also beneficial to animals as well. Many of the surgical
techniques, diagnostic procedures, and medical treatments developed for humans
can also be used to benefit animals. Consequentially, animal experimentation
helps scientists learn more about animal diseases and conditions. Animal
experimentation has led to vaccines for rabies, distemper, anthrax, tetanus,
and feline leukemia. Procedures like open- heart surgery, pace makers and
procedures to remove Cataracts, an eye condition that affects vision. All
of these procedures are available for animals, thanks to animal experimentation.
As a result, the life of pets and farm animals has prolonged and has improved.
Everyone, including hard headed, activists and advocates have
had vaccinations that were developed using animals, has taken medicine
that were tested on animals, and may even have been saved by
a surgical procedure, diagnostic test or medical treatment, all
discovered or tested on animals. Dr. Leon Sternfeld, medical director
of the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Education Foundation states
that the various types of Preventive Measures that we now have
would not be possible’’. Take for instance, Musician Paul McCartney
a vegetarian and an activist against animal experimentation for years
learned to realize that animal experimentation is necessary. This change
came as a realization due to his wife being diagnosed with breast
cancer and the methods used for treatment were due to animal experimentation.
[“Final tests before people”]) (page. 82), he said after his wife’s treatments
underwent.
Animal experimentation must continue for the safety of human beings. More
importantly animal experimentation gives hope to AIDS patients and
Cancer of a vaccine that would cure their pain and disease. Not
only the research of AIDS and Cancer would be affected by the
halt of animal experimentation, fewer new diagnostic techniques,
surgical procedures, and treatments for many diseases and conditions.
We are all fortunate to live in a time period in which we
don’t have to fear diseases and illnesses like Cholera, smallpox,
scarlet fever etc… It’s all thanks to the hard work researchers,
scientists provided with the help and usage of animals. That is
why I concur that Scientists should be allowed the right experiment
on animals, to prevent illnesses and diseases from spreading among
human beings.
