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Allison Kanenaga

Mr. Ryan Smith

English 11 Section 1

22 March 2021

Cruel to the Caged: Animals and Testing

Introduction

Animals that suffer in tiny cages with no proper nutrition, open wounds that are not being

treated, or chemically burned skin do not put themselves in those situations on their own. That

cruelty is the result of work done by humans. Hundreds of thousands of animals are born into or

have been selected to be treated in this matter in the name of science. The lives of those beings

are wasted being treated awfully from birth to death.

Animal testing has been happening for years, for many different motivations. Scientists

that test chemicals for medicine, cosmetics, and other safety concerns often test on animals

because they believe that using them cannot be avoided. Because of the animals’ similar build

and cell structure compared to humans, their concern is that animals are the best bet when it

comes to finding products that will benefit humans. Animal rights activists, on the other hand,

agree that animals deserve better treatment. Living freely is a crucial factor in life that leads to

happiness. These concerns have raised the question of whether animal testing is necessary in

today’s world. With the advancement of knowledge and the creation of modern technologies, is

there still a need for the use of animals in Laboratories?

Although animal testing seems to some as though it is the only solution, today, there are

alternative options that follow the rules of animal rights including using human skin and

scientifically formed samples. The future of testing should not rely on the use of animals as
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subjects. Looking for products that were created without supporting the animal testing process,

creating a brochure, website, and using our voices to speak up about the issue, educating people

about how they can make a difference, and making money to donate to cruelty-free organizations

are just a few solutions.

The Problem

Scientists should consider the underlying effects of animal testing before continuing. The

affected animals are helpful at a cost, their physical health. Reporters note that animals used as

experiment subjects “are left to linger in cold cages, alone, without any painkillers, until they are

killed” (Reyes 2014). This implies if the animal is lucky enough to survive all of the drugs,

infections, injections, and chemicals, they still have to endure the permanent damage they get

until they are put down. Methods that scientists use to euthanize the animals include burning,

electric shocks, poisoning, isolation, starvation, and burning. With this, painkillers for the

subjects are not required at any point throughout this process which does not help the situation.

Furthermore, “the moral problem regarding the use of animals as our resources and thus

subjecting them to unbearable suffering lies with the fact that animals, especially higher animals,

are capable of feeling pleasure and pain like us” (Bassey 2020). This explains that both humans

and animals are sentient beings, meaning they can experience the effects of the pain and

suffering they are put through. In reaction to the cruel conditions that they are placed in, the

animals may react by yelling or squirming to try and escape the pain which proves that the

animals do not seek the excruciating pain that they are forced to endure. Thus, the life of the

animal is wasted stuck in a jail cell-like cage, enduring dangerous chemicals, afraid for their

lives, and ended awfully.

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As I mentioned earlier, some believe that animal testing is the easiest or most effective

way to reach results that scientists need to help benefit humans. While this is somewhat true, it

doesn't consider the dreadful treatment the animals are placed in by experimenting on them.

Deciding if something is right involves “looking our conscience dead in the eye, and ask

ourselves the tough questions, such as, “Is this moral?”, “Is this the right choice for me?” (Reyes

2014). A change stems from the truth in ourselves that cannot be denied, and can be sparked

from reflecting on those questions. Linking this to the topic of animal rights, one cannot look

past the fact that millions of animals are being tortured. Behind all of the insightful results that

come out of animal experimentation, there are animals are struggling to survive.

Lastly, as technology advances, the necessity of animal testing becomes questionable. It

can be argued that animal and human skin samples are similar and therefore will react similarly

to chemicals. However, when someone says that the animal and human cell structures are the

same, they are ignoring the numerous differences that are important to note. For example, “the

Draize skin irritation test on rabbits predicts reactions in humans only 60% of the time, whereas

a reconstructed skin graph is 86% accurate.” (Jones 2018). Cell structures that are grown in labs

can be used to test the same drugs and chemicals that would previously be tested on animals.

Another replacement for animals in the lab is donated human tissue. This is just one example of a

test that proves that using animals is not always accurate, and therefore, should not be deemed as

necessary.

Previous Efforts

Along with the advancement of technologies that will lead to a solution, some companies,

that are not involved in the lab, also shoot to make a difference. Because of this, there have

already been laws put into place, in favor of their beliefs. According to Maria Chiorando from
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plantbasednews.org, a company called The Body Shop has been making a huge impact on

different states by writing to each Senator about creating these bills that are in favor of becoming

cruelty-free. Through campaigns, education on the topic, and new bills, there is a chance that a

change can be made sooner, rather than later. In 2019, the Hawaii Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act

was brought into play. The aim is to end the sale of animal-tested cosmetics sometime after

2020. The addition of the Hawaii Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act is proof that the beauty industry

can end its cosmetic testing on animals.

Though being able to reach out to the government through a bigger organization or

company is a great step, however, some are not in a position that allows them to make that big of

a change. To combat this, there are animal activist groups that form and work together to take on

the problem on a smaller scale. The documentary, The Animal People (2019), shows examples

of this. The groups believe that it is important to target singular groups or companies in their

communities so that it hits home for the people who are located near them. Doing this is a way

that any people working together can grab the media’s attention and open the eyes of the people

nearby. With this, there come some officers who see their protests as a threat and the event

becomes violent. There have been cases where people were charged millions of dollars, arrested,

shot with rubber bullets, and strangled. This does catch the attention of the press; however, it

seems as though the image of the activists is made out to be negative.

Some communities do not have a big enough crowd to organize large events like this,

which has been a problem in the sense that nothing was being done by those areas. This resulted

in making personal lifestyle choices that do not support animal testing. A leaping bunny logo can

be found on products that come from cruelty-free labs. Some have been switching over to

purchasing those, rather than those without the logo because it will lessen the amount of money
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that cruelty labs make. Another route that some of these activists take is going through natural

remedies. This includes using activities such as eating healthier, getting exercise, and meditation

as solutions to health problems rather than buying medication that comes from animal-tested

labs. Although this has been proven to work out to an extent, not many people are aware of this

easy solution, and therefore, it has not made any huge impact yet.

The Solution

According to Bassey, in recent years, “the term ‘alternative’ has been used to all of the

Three Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) as an overarching term referring to any

procedure that reduces the harm caused to animals in experiments” (2020). This means we

should start replacing all items that come from harmful labs, reducing the number of animals

suffering, and decreasing the severity of inhuman procedures that are placed on animals. Some

may argue that reduction will not help because doing so will place a greater burden on animals

that continue to be used. However, when it comes to reducing, this means that there will be a

reduction in any pain or suffering that is caused by animal experimentation, not that testing will

be reduced to fewer amounts of animals. To extinguish animal testing, there must be a group

effort because although every person counts, to be heard, we must come together. Animal

activist groups can and should be formed in communities, starting with those who are already

educated about the topic. From there, they must find a reachable goal and work towards it.

Anything can be turned into a fundraiser, which is why it is a realistic and effective method that

should be used. Fundraisers can help larger companies to pay for the scientists and the materials

they need to create animal-free samples to test on. It can also help pay for TV and media

coverage, the legal costs of taking the government to court, and paying for undercover

investigators into labs to get evidence of the cruel treatment.

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Ending animal testing is headed in the right direction thanks to the solutions that I

previously mentioned. However, there is a reason why the methods are still being used. Besides

the scientists who believe what they are doing is right, many people are not acting. Those people

are negatively affecting the problem whether they are or not. Although some may argue that they

do believe in animal rights, by doing nothing to stand up against the problem, they are supporting

the companies that use cruelty techniques. With that being said, the main issue is that not many

people are aware of the impact they are making, and therefore, should be informed.

In terms of my solutionary project, I plan to create a marriage of informing people and

getting them involved. By making an account on Instagram, hanging up flyers, and handing out

brochures, I will be opening more people’s eyes to the situation. To take it a step further, I wish

to raise money to donate to Cruelty-Free International, a well-known, non-profit organization

that supports animal rights. The money will go towards scientific research that studies and

creates artificial skin samples. This way, scientists can continue making the switch from using

animal skin to artificial human skin. I will collect the money through sales of Do-It-Yourself

(DIY) projects. Everything that I make will be made of 100% cruelty-free materials. By doing all

of this, I will be able to introduce more people to the topic, donate money towards a solution, and

jumpstart a lifestyle switch to cruelty-free products for customers.

Conclusion

There are ways that us, as a society, can work towards the end of the concern that is

animal testing. One way to tackle the issue are alternative options that follow the rules of animal

rights including using human skin and scientifically formed samples. Another way is to continue

and supporting the continuation of animal-free research. Finally, as individuals, we can make the

personal choice to switch over to purchasing cruelty-free products. The issue of animal rights
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and animal testing is important because the awful conditions that scientists place their animals

into is a reflection of our society today.