Animals are used in research when there is a need to find out what is happening in a whole

living organism, which is much more complex than the sum of its parts. It is difficult, and in
most cases simply impossible, to substitute the use of live animals for alternative methods in
research.

The study of animals is a fundamental part of this research process. Many basic cellular
processes are the same in all animals, and animal bodies are like those of humans in
performing many vital functions, such as respiration, digestion, movement, sight, hearing, and
reproduction.

Humans and animals share hundreds of diseases and, therefore, animals can act as models for
the study of human diseases. For example, rabbits suffer from arteriosclerosis (hardening of
the arteries) and diseases such as emphysema, as well as birth defects such as spina bifida.
Dogs suffer from cancer, diabetes, cataracts, ulcers and bleeding disorders such as hemophilia,
making them natural candidates for research into these disorders.

Once researchers have more knowledge about a given disease, animals are used to develop
and test these potential therapies as part of the applied research process.