Opinions Editor Jonathan Saucedo is a three-year member of the Wildcat Chronicle who frequently writes opinion pieces. The views expressed in this piece are his own.
Animal testing is a cruel method used to gather information about medicinal products. While the benefits of these products can help many people and even save lives, the process of testing on animals is inhumane. This practice should be illegal, especially when alternative methods are available.
What exactly is animal testing? As the name suggests, it involves using live animals in experiments to determine whether certain medical treatments are beneficial or harmful to them. While this might not sound too concerning at first, the reality is quite grim. Each year, approximately 115 million animals – including dogs, cats, primates, mice, guinea pigs, birds, and farm animals – are killed in the name of research. Many of these animals are kept in cages for extended periods, leading to psychological distress and suffering, and some even die before the process begins.
Of course, some argue that animal testing has its benefits; much of the world’s medical knowledge and everyday products have been developed through animal experimentation. Whether one views this as justified or not often depends on personal beliefs about the ethics of animal treatment.
To those who argue, “I wouldn’t want that done to a human. They’re just animals; they don’t have the intellect we do, so it really doesn’t matter,” it’s true that humans are generally more intelligent than animals, but that doesn’t justify subjecting living beings to terrible suffering. Many of these animals could even be considered pets. Dogs are beloved companions, and cats are cherished as great pets. If animal testing is no longer used, what alternatives exist? Simple: isolated cells and tissues, computers, or bacteria can work just as effectively as live animals. These options are often cheaper since there’s no need to purchase new animals each year—and they avoid unnecessary harm.
“Now, you know, someone would make the argument, oh, well, you’re benefiting mankind. So you know, to the extent that you know, we can do testing in other ways, which would certainly be preferable. But yeah like primate testing. Put it this way, testing for things like mascara, that just seems a little bit unnecessary in a total you know, if you’re gonna say, Well, I’m working on a cure for cancer, not ideal, maybe, but certainly cosmetics industry and all the other aspects of animal testing is not so great.” Michael Tobe, a volunteer for Anonymous for the Voiceless who advocates for veganism, said.
If animals are to be used, it should be for the right reasons. Farm animals, while cute, are a significant source of food worldwide and should continue serving that purpose. Although some animals are kept in cages for extended periods (which is unacceptable), most are cared for properly and prepared for human consumption. However, subjecting any living creature to a nightmare is simply horrendous. Companies and laboratories often fail to care for these animals, forcing them to endure experiments lasting over a year. Just imagine that.
The practice of animal testing should be banned. Technology has advanced to the point where it can fulfill our needs without harming animals. Instead, we should use alternative methods and save our money—and more importantly, save lives.
