Animal testing why and why not Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Animal testing why and why not - Essay Example In the movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes, an experimental drug for Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases gives rise to a highly intelligent primate named Caesar who eventually leads his kind in a revolt against humans.In the movie Legally Blonde 2, one of the subplots is how the lead character’s dog, Bruiser, looks for his mom and discover she is a test animal at a large cosmetic company. Will Smith’s movie I Am Legend featured rats that were being used for animal testing. Movies are supposedly adapted from real life and, to sell, their stories should be relevant to audiences. If so, then the use of animals for research is indeed a popular and big enough issue of today to be made part of several movies. Animals have been a part of man’s life since time immemorial. This has resulted in an indescribable affinity between man and animals. Dogs, cats, hamsters and other small creatures have found their way to people’s homes as pets. Other animals live on farms and provide protection and livelihood for their owners. Some also serve as companions to human beings, especially those who have disabilities or a just lonely. Still other animals exist to maintain a balance in nature. A good example may be found in the movie Bee Movie. When the bees decided to stop working – making honey and transferring pollen from one flower to another – the flowers, trees and plants died. Of course, when the plants die, humans lose a source of oxygen. Fish is another example of animals that help keep the balance. Fish clean the Earth’s waters and also to provide sustenance to other living beings such as animals and humans. Obviously, there are reasons why animals are put on Earth to co-exist with man. If man benefits from the presence of animals, the same can be said for animals. In man, domesticated animals find shelter and food. Among the needs supplied by man, the most important of all is probably protection. Although animals hav e their own defensive characteristics, they are usually considered defenseless and depend on their owner for protection. This is why the issue of animal testing has become such a big controversy in modern times. Unlike in the past when there was not a very loud clamor for to recognize animal rights, nowadays, animal lovers have spoken for their pets and animals in general and have put into motion several activities in order for society to recognize that animal’s, too, have privileges. The use of animals for medical research has been in society for over 200 years. In the 1800’s, due to the widespread infestation of rats in Europe, these were caught, sold for money and eventually used to understand the effect of fasting on humans. (Rat) Aside from the fact that they reproduce fast and they are small, rats and mice are mammals that have genetic, biological and behavioral characteristics similar to humans (Melina) so scientists often use them in trying to understand people . Animal testing is not only limited to vertebrates. French scientist Louis Pasteur employed silk worms in proving the gem theory of disease (Germ) and fruit flies have provided understanding of how animals develop genetically. (Murnaghan, 1) Obviously, there were no qualms in employing animals to develop scientific research. It has to be noted that supporters of animal research do not condone any form of experimentation but only those that are helpful in finding ways to help humans. As reiterated by animal research followers, if the experiment is not for the common good, animal testing is not allowed. Like Sir John Vane has said â€Å"if one reviews the history of medical science, it is clear that every major medical advance has depended on animal experiments.† There are those, on the other hand, that do not share Sir Vane’s opinion. Objections to the use of animals in experimentation can be traced back to the 1700’s. Edmund O’Meara said that the torture inflicted by vivisection or conducting experiments on animals â€Å"places the body in an unnatural state.†