Why are you against labs on animals?

Question

My science teacher is having me right an essay about why I refuse to take part in labs that come at an animals or an insects expense. I'm trying to make sure that I covered all the bases about why it is wrong. Thanks :).

Answer 1

I'm neutral in the whole debate of using animals in experiments, but I did work in research lab and volunteered with the Center for Laboratory Animal Medicine and Care (also known as CLAMC). You can look it up if you want. So with my experience I seen first hand animals being used for research and experiments. I just wanted to let you know that there are many procedures and rules that a company or researcher have to do in order to experiment on any animal, even mice. Everyone has to treat there animal with the upmost care and to make sure that their animal have the happiest life while there. The consquesences of poor upkeep is high and pricey. Anyway back to question.

The reason why some people are against laboratory animal experimentation is because...

1) They feel that animals need to be treated like humans. They're living things and should be treated as such. As some people would picture it; "you wouldn't want your relative being feed something unknown, poked, cut, and experimented on."

2) They feel that it demoralizes the person doing the experiment (e.i. the kids in the science classes)  

[This actually happens to people who conduct experiments on living things; animals not bacteria. You see so many die or have to be euthanized that you have to detach yourself from the animal and this is hard to do especially for bigger animals like dogs.]

3) The whole ethnic issues that arise from animal experimentation. Will they suffer if not killed by the procedures? What kind of psychological damage will they have, if we have no way of direct communication? Does the experimenter really care more about the subject or the results?

[There are many ways to answer these questions. Suffering animals (bigger animals) are usually euthanized by injection so that there is little to no stress on the animal. Psychological damage is usually avoided because the animal is housed with another animal and some other factors like the right time to wean and such. Observation is the key to understanding if an animal is sick or something, which leads to it being healed. The experimenter has to care more about the subject than the results. As I said up at the top, it's very pricey and frustrating to neglect your subject. You can get a fine, get sent to jail, and you have to start all over because your results are all screwy.]

That's all I hope wasn't to long or confusing at the end.