It’s hard to determine how many animals get tested but it’s estimated that more than 50 million animals get tested each year. While animal testing can sometimes have benefits, a lot of animal testing hides behind the scenes and results in cruel treatment of the animal.
The most common animals that get tested on include cats, dogs, baboons, cows, fish, ferrets, frogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, horses, llamas, mice, monkeys, owls, quail, rabbits, rats, sheep according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Mice are tested with chemicals for two years so that the people doing this can see if it will cause cancer. Horses are injected with viruses and people monitor them to see how the same virus will affect humans. Sheep get put through high pressure that feels as if they were being crushed by the pressure of deep waters, then left there for a couple of hours until brought back to normal and observed according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Institutions that test on animals include drug companies, public and private universities, hospitals, community and technical schools, government facilities, Veterans Affairs facilities, and hospitals also use animals for testing. Most of the animals that get experimented on have their only purpose to be tested on.
We interviewed two teachers here about their opinions on animal testing.
Ms. Diaz, DREAMS Art Teacher
Do you have a pet or favorite animal?
I have four pets and they are all dogs but I am a dog and horse person.
Animal testing has been around for a long time now, what do you think about the companies and or scientists who do this?
In these modern times, now that we are in 2024, there personally shouldn’t be any animal testing . I’ve personally done my research on it and seen what is done to dogs, rabbits, and other animals. It shouldn’t be happening in this modern time, they are living animals and at the same time, I find it interesting that a product that is used on humans is being experimented on an animal that won’t use it.
How do you think we should prevent animal testing?
Well in our modern, advanced medicine because it does link up with medicine, all the makeup. I believe dermatologists and all of these companies at this point and time, have the resources to not be testing on animals. Not that humans should be guinea pigs but something that is made for a human, that should most likely be tested on a human. Some people don’t mind being tested and they get paid for that. But like I was saying, scientists have learned a lot and they should be able to apply that knowledge to get animals out of being tested.
Ms. Lawrence, SEMS Theater Teacher
Do you have a pet or favorite animal?
I have two cats, they are brother and sister and my favorite animal would be a cat but I love all animals in the feline family.
Animal testing has been around for a long time now, what do you think about the companies and or scientists who do this?
I think the subject can be a little complicated because there are certain things we want to make sure are safe before humans consume it. And some things we don’t need to animal test like if you need to test it then maybe you should just reformulate it. Like makeup, we can use more natural products and if it’s all natural then we don’t need to test it. But I think certain things like medication, I understand why it’s done while in my heart I wish it wasn’t done. Because we definitely want our medications to be safe.
How do you think we should prevent animal testing?
I think we can use more natural products, in the past, people did a lot of the same things we do but they used things that grew in nature. And they knew how it worked and they used those products. And as we became more civilized, we started using things with more chemicals in them and we don’t need those chemicals in the first place. And I think if we reverted back to nature, we could definitely stop some of the testing.
