Animals have been used for medical research for the past two thousand years. (Finsen) From the Greeks to the Chinese, millions of helpless, harmless animals were, and still are, being killed each year.(Woods) With all the harmful consequences, hopefully we would have thought to have done away with animal testing and experimentation. Animals are mistreated every day, from testing artificial organs to making sure cologne will not irritate the eyes. (Woods).
Animal testing is not bad in everyone's eyes. Many medical breakthroughs have resulted from testing medications on animals. (Charles University Second Department) If it was not for those little creatures we would still have many diseases with no cure. Animal testing has its good and bad points. It all depends on which side you are on.
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Many people look upon animal testing as though it is cruel and unusual punishment. (Bloyd) They believe that since animals have done nothing injurious to people, they should not be mistreated in this way.(FRAME) When animal testing was not "big news," many newspapers and other media companies would present stories to the public. As long ago as 1865, The New York Times published an article regarding peoples' concerns about the torture of animals and their well-being. Most opinions voiced how it was an outrage to see live animals being handled as though they were garbage. (Finsen) More and more people had started to speak out against testing and the mistreatment of animals.
Many believe it is just as well to perform medical and reactive (allergic) testing on a live human being. (Bloyd) People have joined together to create different social groups to stand for what they believe in: fair and ethical treatment of animals. Most countries have their own animal cruelty support groups: AAVS (American Anti-Vivisection Society); the NEAVS (New England Anti-Vivisection Society)(Finsen) and the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals); ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals), and NCDL (National Canine Defense League [British]), to name a few.
