Animal Experimentation Facts

Animal experimentation or animal testing is a practice where animals are used for the purpose of experimentation and research. Several products and medications are first tested on animals for safety or to check the associated side effects of the products. It has been found that every year millions of different kinds of animals are used only for the purpose of experimentation, which is often a horrifying experience for the animals. Nearly all the animals are tortured and eventually killed for researches and experimentation. Animal testing is banned in several countries; however, it is still found that many developed countries undertake this practice. If you take a look at the animal experimentation facts, you will be stunned to know about the cruelty performed on animals, which is nothing but inhumanity.

Animal Testing Facts

The following are some of the animal testing facts that will give you more information on animal experimentation pros and cons.

• The exact number of animals used for experimentation is not known as according to the rules, the research organizations do not have to record the number of animals used. However, more than 10 million or animals are used for experimentation every year, all over the world.
• The animals used for animal experimentation include rodents, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small and large mammals, dogs, cats, and primates. Among the rest, mice, rats and rabbits are used in highest numbers.
• However, one of the shocking animal testing statistics is that not even 2% of the human illnesses are found in animals. Hence, we are left to think why is animal experimentation even used.
• Strangely it was found that certain tests when showed positive on animals had a negative effect on human beings which proves that animal testing is not 100% efficient and foolproof.
• According to animal experimentation facts, this method is used on a large scale to test cosmetics and medications. However, animal testing is also found in public health laboratories, contract testing laboratories, science universities and commercial companies.
• When thinking of animal testing pros, those for it, suggest that this method has greatly helped in the development of medications against diseases, which has definitely helped ease pain and suffering of human beings.
• However, there are several arguments against animal testing as the animals are treated cruelly and killed at the end.
• Most of the animals are kept isolated in boxes or in cages, are deprived of socializing and tortured. Most of the animals die in the experiments and very rarely are euthanized.
• Although passed safe in animal testing, many drugs are banned from several countries due to the severe side effects associated with them. It is also found that people tend to die due to severe side effects caused due to drugs that were considered safe even after animal testing.
• Animal testing in cosmetic industry and pharmaceutical companies are the worst, according to the animal experimentation facts as the animals used there are exposed to drugs and products to check the potential side effects (and sometimes without using anesthesia).
• Although among the animal experimentation pros and cons, there are more pros or advantages to humans, we should not ignore the fact that a large number of helpless creatures are killed inhumanly for the sake of research.
• When thinking of the alternatives to animal testing, you should note that there are more than 400 methods that can be considered as alternatives to animal testing or animal experimentation. Although popularly known world wide, there are labs that still practice the barbaric methods of animal testing and experimentation.

These were some of the animal experimentation facts that should be known to people. There are several products available in the market which one should go for as they are marked as 'not tested on animals'. Even with this small step, we should try to put an end to this cruel and inhuman treatment to animals. Good luck!