View more Dan Piraro cartoons here.
THE KINDNESS OF RATS
When given the option of getting a food reward or taking altruistic action, many lab rats choose to push the lever that stops the torture of their fellow rat. Wish the same could be reported for human subjects in similar experiments.
THE PSEUDOSCIENCE OF ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION
Humans have no right to exploit or use other speices. That’s just from a plain ethical perspective. And besides the obvious soul-crushing madness of inflicting insane pain and death on animals, animal experiments are poor “science.” (Of course, they are big moneymakers and appeal to notoriously greedy sadists.)
From CaringConsumer.org:
“Enormous variations exist among rats, rabbits, dogs, pigs, and human beings, and meaningful scientific conclusions cannot be drawn about one species by studying another,” says Neal Barnard, M.D. “Non-animal methods provide a more accurate means of testing and can be interpreted more objectively.”
Human volunteers, clinical studies, autopsy reports, and statistical and epidemiological analysis provide useful data on people with diseases and disabilities. Human cell cultures and tissue studies, in vitro tests, and artificial human “skin” and “eyes” mimic the body’s natural properties and provide scientists with less expensive alternatives to animal tests. In addition, a number of sophisticated computer virtual organs serve as accurate models of human body parts.
Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC)
FAQs About Animal Experimentation
Stop Animal Tests
Humane Charity Seal of Approval
WORLD’S BIGGEST MYTH-BUSTER
No drug or medical cure for humans has ever been discovered as a direct result of animal testing, though “animal research” always gets credit. Why perpetuate such a lethal illusion? Only one reason: money. Animal experimentation is not hardcore science; it’s a monstrous business empire.
“ANIMAL RESEARCH” = “THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES”
This industry of fake science is a multi-trillion dollar business for everyone involved, from the “researchers” and pharmaceutical companies down to the suppliers of vivisection equipment, cages, and lab animal food; and even TV networks that run pharmaceutical ads and “news” about “breakthroughs in animal research” (often accompanied by footage of healthy lab mice).
2 + 2 = 5: THE LOGIC OF ANIMAL EXPERIMENTERS
The following example illustrates the illogical, though typical, approach of animal testing. The drug Fialuridine was supposed to treat Hepatitis B but damaged the livers of people, either eventually killing them or leaving them in need of a liver transplant. Why did “researchers” conclude the drug to be effective and safe for humans? Because in their lab, it worked on woodchucks.
(And the lucky folks in countries that don’t depend on animal testing do not suffer from more adverse drug reactions than folks in the U.S. Not to mention, the latest beneficial medicines are available to them years before we get even a peek.)
TRUE ADVANCES IN MEDICINE HAVE ALWAYS COME FROM CAREFUL CLINICAL OBSERVATION AND RESEARCH—IN OTHER WORDS, FROM THE STUDY OF HUMANS—AND OTHER NON-ANIMAL METHODS.
WMD: WIDESPREAD MEDIA OF DECEPTION
Here’s a classic example…
Vivisectors want us to believe that animal experimentation led to the creation of AZT, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor that slows down the virus HIV. That’s their WMD story and they’re sticking to it.
But AZT, originally used to treat cancer, was developed in vitro (in a test tube) way back in 1964. Animal testing had nothing even remotely to do with it. In 1985, AZT proved effective against HIV. Again, this was demonstrated by in vitro research. AZT went straight to clinical trials (aka human tests) and then to AIDS patients.
Why was useless animal testing skipped in this instance? Too many folks were dying and advocacy organizations for those with HIV/AIDS exerted tremendous political pressure.
Real solutions to human diseases come from reliable research on humans. Always have, always will. Duh. (For scientific proof of this common sense fact, read Sacred Cows and Golden Geese.)
The sooner animal experimentation is completely terminated, the sooner we welcome a new renaissance for true progress in medical science.
ANIMAL TESTS AS LEGAL LOOPHOLE
Pharmaceutical companies and other big businesses and the federal government use animal experiments to evade liability when new drugs and products cause harm or wrongful death. Their premise (incorporated into the U.S. legal system) is that if a new drug was tested on animals and appeared “safe,” then the drug was okay for humans, too. Therefore, they “acted responsibly and had done all they could to ensure safety.” Crazy, but this usually holds up in court. It’s as if these goobers get away with talking gibberish: “C’mon, forget science and take a blind leap of faith. A drug good for woodchucks is a drug good for people.”
RESOURCES
Animal Liberation Front
Arkangel for Animal Liberation
No Compromise
Bite Back
A Directory of Laboratory Animal Suppliers
BEHIND THE MASK (2006)
directed by Shannon Keith
www.uncagedfilms.com
FREE THE ANIMALS. FREE EARTH. FREE YOURSELF.
