Animal Experimentation

The use of animals for experimentation is a controversial topic with many opinions and viewpoints. Animal testing and experimentation is done all over the world. Animals that are used for testing vary from mice to house hold pets like dogs and cats. Experimentation is done for a variety of reasons, including medical and cosmetic. Many of the products used on humans or tests performed on humans were once done on animals. Animal testing is a very difficult issue to argue against and it is just as hard to support.

Animal testing refers to the use of animals in experiments for academic purposes, research or commercial use (Swami, 2008). Animals are used to test anything from the vaccines we get, to the shampoo we use. Various animals are used for testing all around the world. As stated in the article by Cynthia Burnett animal testing is necessary in that it allows few to suffer for the benefit of many, which is more of the utilitarian cost-benefit argument (Burnett, 2009, p. 36). This is in regards to that fact that animals suffer, which are not as important as humans, so that humans can live a healthy life. The Investigating Attitudes Toward Animal Testing journal article stated that, “In Britain alone, it is estimated that some 3 million animals – from fruit flies to more nonhuman primates are used annually in experiments, and may either be killed or subsequently euthanized (Swami,2008).” Some people believe that the use and eventual death of these animals is ultimately helping humans, whereas many people feel very differently.

The answer for the question of whether animal testing is an appropriate measure of testing depends on the person that is being confronted about the issue. There are animal rights activists that are 100% against the use of animals for any kind of testing and then there are individuals that see the importance of the use of animals for testing purposes. Research shows various opinions and reasons both for animal testing and against the use...