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Why Animal Testing Should Be Eliminated
Why Animal Testing Should Be Eliminated
By Allison Custer
By Allison Custer
When people think of animal testing, they might think it’s something society has moved on from or something that wouldn’t happen today, and although animal testing was recently banned in some states in the U.S., many cosmetic brands and drug companies still test on animals. Your shampoo, deodorant, makeup, dish soap, toothpaste, sunscreen, and many other products you use on a daily basis could be a byproduct of animal testing. However, animal testing is cruel and inhumane, and it should be eliminated.
Image from The Humane Society of The United States
Animal testing is not required by law, but many companies perform several invasive tests on animals like rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, and rats to develop their products. According to Humane Society International, skin and eye irritation is tested by rubbing chemicals onto shaved skin or dripping them into rabbits eyes while they are restrained. The subjects are not given pain relief. Chemical substances are also force-fed to mice for researchers to study signs of illness or health hazards. Sometimes “lethal dose” tests are also conducted on rats in which they are force-fed large amounts of chemicals to determine the dose that causes death. At the end of these tests, the animals are killed often by asphyxiation, neck-breaking, or decapitation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in January 2020 that research facilities used over 300,000 animals for testing involving pain in just one year.
Image from Madison365.org
Image from PETA Kids
Although animal testing is a grisly process, some people believe it is necessary to ensure the safety of products and medicine. According to The California Biomedical Research Association, almost every medical breakthrough in the past 100 years has been discovered through animal testing and helped make advances in treating conditions such as breast cancer, brain injury, leukemia, etc. However, due to new technological advances, there are now alternate methods that can replace animal testing. An example of this is vitro testing in which tests are conducted on human cells in a petri dish. Additionally, Humane Society International has found animal testing is more expensive than vitro testing in every scenario studied, and according to Emily Anthes from The New York Times, non-animal approaches could ultimately speed up the development process, improve patient outcomes, and relieve lab animals suffering.
Testing on animals, whether it be for cosmetic or medicinal purposes, is morally wrong. Although steps have been taken to eliminate animal testing in some places in the U.S., animal testing is still a common occurrence. To put an end to animal testing, everyone needs to do their part. Humane Society International recommends keeping animal testing out of your shopping cart by purchasing from cruelty-free brands. You can also download the free Leaping Bunny App for a list of cruelty-free companies that are leaping bunny certified.
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