May 3, 2005
IDEAS AND OPINIONS
Letters to the Editor:
Animals deserve better alternativesAnimal testing was first experienced thousands of years ago out of curiosity.
While extensively used in our society, this practice has been a source of debate over its bioethical issues.
It is convenient and cheaper to research animal subjects. Supporters of animal testing argue that this practice is crucial to medical development, but not all experiments contribute to major medical research.
But it is the right of an animal to receive humane treatment, be relieved of pain, and be subjected to testing only when there are no other alternative methods.
Scientific or commercial research on animal subjects involves pain. Because of that, animals should have the right to different treatment.
In 1984, a set of 32 tapes was stolen from one of the laboratories of the University of Pennsylvania. Later they were released to the public.
They showed horrific scenes of torture involving primates. A monkey wearing a metal helmet was strapped down and its head squashed by a great force at an angle of 45 degrees.
Though staff claimed the primates were under anesthesia, the footage showed the animals were struggling to release themselves and appeared in great pain. In 1985 the lab was closed down and the experiments stopped due to animal abuse.
The improper treatment and cruelty did not stop in 1985.
The well-known People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) present on their website short videos of tortured primates from Columbia University in 2003. Monkeys are mistreated and left to die in their metal cages after the experiments are performed.
One of the videos presents a monkey, a steel pipe implanted in its head, blood running down its face after awakening from anesthesia. The purpose of the experiment: effect of stress on the menstrual cycle.
Other images show pregnant baboons having their fetuses injected with nicotine, then later killed. The videos also show animals going insane from lack of socialization.
Although current technology does not allow us to completely eliminate animal research and testing, there are alternative methods available in order to prevent this terrible abuse.
The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) proposes that researchers collaborate and share both animals and results to prevent duplicating experiments. Animal and human cadavers can also be used for efficient results.
Live animals should be tranquilized during experiments inflicting pain. Replacing the use of higher animals for lower ones is another option, meaning replacing vertebrates with invertebrates, warm-blooded animals with cold-blooded.