Animal Testing :l

I actually wrote this for a science blog. I got a 100%, and a lot of my peers read it and were supprised. Just goes to show you how doing your school work can help animals. :] Enjoy! Animal testing is an issue that has two sides: for or opposed. Many people are for animal testing because of a lack of knowledge, or interest in the subject. Others, like me, have a strong negative disposition for the practice. There are many hidden side effects of animal testing, and if we would simply look, we would see that animal testing is not the proper solution to current science anomalies. There are also substitute practices for animal testing. Because animals' bodies are different from our own, drugs and other tested substances have different affects on animals than they do on our own bodies. Nicotine, found in cigarettes, is obviously harmful for humans. Everyone knows smoking can lead to cancer, but the tests done on animals proved that nicotine was harmless. Warning labels on cigarettes were delayed just because tests on animals proved nicotine was not harmful to humans. Mascara and other beauty products are often what are being tested on these animals. Often tests can last weeks, so the animal has to endure courses and courses of the treatment or product. The care of the animals is not on the minds of the people conducting the tests. Animals are kept in cages where only their heads can come out, they are immobilized, and veterinary care is unavailable for the animals. The tests can cause emotional and physical harm to the animals-damage that is either irreparable, or simply never treated. Who knows how many lives were killed because we were not aware that smoking could kill! Drugs such as Oraflex and Zomax tested on animals were fine, but they actually killed humans! How can we base our tests on species that are so different from us? Clearly tests on animals are not always accurate. Not only are there numerous cases of animal testing being incredibly inaccurate, animal testing is also particularly cruel. Procedures are done often without pain killers or anesthesia. Animals such as rabbits (often albinos) have chemicals poured onto their skin or into their eyes. Beauty products, medicines, and even candy are tested on animals. Mars, the company that makes products like M&Ms and candy bars tests on animals. They inject their test subjects with caffeine and chocolate, and for what? What is the necessity of testing candy products on animals? Animal testing is cruel in itself, but the conditions that the animals are kept in are horrid. The cages have no space for movement, and only the animals head can come out of the cage. Emotional and physical damage are the side effects that these animals suffer. Basic necessities such as space, light, exercise, and veterinary care are not given to the animals in the tests. The animals that are tested on suffer so much, yet there are alternatives to animal testing, and they are actually more accurate, and cruelty free. Scientists are always coming up with new strategies to test without the use of animals. There are computer models you can use, in vitro, volunteers, previous research and data, and veterinary clinical research. In vitro is a relatively new practice, and is more accurate than animal testing. Basically, in vitro is using tissue, cells, and organs to test on. All of the experiments can be done on the tissue or whatever it is the scientist is using, all you have to do is work inside of a test tube, or dish. Through science advances it is possible for scientists to grow skin graphs or tissue, so tests can be done on the scientifically engineered tissue, instead of on animals. Animal testing is a complete waste of time. More accurate tests can be done without using animals, and the tests done on animals are half the time pointless, and extremely cruel. I believe in conducting cruelty-free tests, or tests not done on animals. Since joining PETA, I have taken an interest in the rights of animals, especially animals that are tested. I strongly believe in alternative testing methods, and I hope that by reading this you know have a better idea of what animal testing really is all about.