Today, all over the world, there are helpless animals being harmfully tested on. Many think it is better to have test products on animals and have substantial animal testing research for products before said products are being released to purchase for humans. However, animal testing is extremely harmful and painful to the animals that are involved and there are many other effective ways to test products that do not cause discomfort to unsuspecting animals for human pleasure.
In the beauty industry, brands are beginning to make known the absence of animal testing on their products. More brands are realizing the better alternatives to harming innocent animals. To allow buyers to recognize that the product they are putting on the market has not been tested on animals, they usually will print a small bunny on the label, to show that no animals were harmed in the production of their product. Within the last few years, many beauty buyers have been boycotting any brands and products that continue the use of animal testing. For example, there is even a website that has a section dedicated to allowing people to search and find cruelty free beauty products called Beauty Without Bunnies (PETA). This cruelty free breakthrough has dramatically impacted beauty brands production and generally the whole beauty industry.
In the science world, there is alternative testing that is much more helpful and applicable to humans because it is actually testing on humans. However, it is not harmful to humans. This type of product research is performed by scientist taking petri dishes and test tubes filled with samples of human tissues, cells, and DNA. This experimentation of humans is much less expensive because many people will willingly volunteer, unlike helpless animals who are volunteered, samples of blood, saliva, and skin in order for scientists to conduct accurate research. However, there are more alternatives, too. PETA goes into detail and even explains a type of testing on human-like robots, incase there is not access to human tissues (P 12). This experimentation is also much more accurate than animal testing. For example, since animals are not able to get many human diseases, scientists must artificially infect them in order to conduct research on things such as medicines. However, while they can be tested on using these same human diseases, the research does not take into account any physiological disorders, trauma, or genetic history. So, not only is this research much more expensive, it is not nearly as accurate as testing on true, human tissue because it is artificial.
Many scientists argue that animals in science labs are in fine conditions and are completely unbothered by what is happening to them. What they are experiencing is called vivisection, which is defined as “the practice of subjecting living animals to cutting operations, especially in order to advance physiological and pathological knowledge” in the dictionary (dictionary.com). According to Neavs, “In research and testing, animals are subjected to experiments that can include everything from testing new drugs to infecting with diseases, poisoning for toxicity testing, burning skin, causing brain damage, implanting electrodes into the brain, maiming, blinding, and other painful and invasive procedures” (P 4). So, with that being said, it is clearly shown that most of the procedures are not harmless to these animals. For instance, I am sure an animal being given brain damage from testing is most likely going to feel some sort of negative side effects from those procedures. Many would argue that this is the sole reason that animals are used for this testing and not humans, so that humans do not have to endure this painful testing. But, why should any innocent, living creature have to experience this. Yes, testing is great needed in the world because without it we would not have many medicines or products on the market today. However, there are other ways to experiment using these said products that do not harm unsuspecting creatures. While I do not argue for the use of humans in these procedures, you are able to explain to a human any procedure and testing you will be trying on them and give them a choice. A rat does not understand what is happening if you give it a painful injection, it only knows pain. However, we continue to test on animals because for the most part, they cannot fight back or speak up for themselves. Commonly, people diagnosed with terminal cancer are given the option to seek experimental drugs, since there would otherwise be no way available to cure them of their cancer. Some patients are excited by the idea of being a small part in braving the way to a cure to cancer, and some just want a little bit more time. However, no matter what their reasons for volunteering themselves for these experimental drugs, it is their choice. These patients are also able to verbally communicate wanting to take a break, any pain or discomfort they may be feeling, and how the drugs are making them feel overall. That is some information that animals will just never be able to provide.
Animals should not be used for product research. Animal testing is extremely dangerous, harmful, and painful to animals. Animals do not even get a choice, opinion, or voice in wether they will be exposed to the risks of these experiments. However, humans do. Aside from testing products on humans instead of animals, there are even many other forms of product testing, such as testing on human tissues or lifelike robots. Animals should not have to unwillingly endure the effects that come with beauty and medicinal testing.