Many of the successful cosmetic and household product companies around the world continue to use animal experimentation for their products. They use a variety of methods on animals to test their formulation before it is released to the market. Furthermore, “companies test on animals to provide data […] and use the fact that the product has been tested to support the claim that they are conscientious” (Why do companies continue to test products on animals?) However, companies who rely on animals testing need to stop and find other methods. The results from testing animals are inaccurate and cruel. Animals are different from humans, it is unethical, and companies can use other non-animal test methods. People around the world need to be educated in order to save the animals that are being killed in experiments.

            Animal test results are inaccurate when putting a product on the market. They reflect only on animals and not humans, as they are different species. Yet, companies use the excuse to sale their product after it has been tested on an animal. What these companies don’t realize is that animal data is not reliable for human health research. According to Theodora Capaldo, president of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society, “many drugs that appear safe and effective in animals fail in humans, or cause significant harm, and even death” (Capaldo). Although some test result can be positive on animals, it doesn’t mean that they are good for humans. Also, people need to consider the type of animals that are being used in those trial and error methods. The majority of the time, mice, rats or other animals are used for experimental purposes. However, scientist’s first initial purpose for experimenting on rats was simply to study rats. The animals were not to be regarded as human stand-ins. In the article “Drugs That Work In Mice Often Fail When Tried In People”, Richard Harris asserts that “rats and humans have been on their own evolutionary path […] we’ve developed our own unique features, and so have the rodents” (Harris). The companies that practice on animals need to take a look at their data and come up with a different alternative to test their formula, as it is cruel to use animals for testing.

            The use of animal testing across the world is cruel and unethical. Animals that are used during experiments suffer all the time. Furthermore, consumers are oblivious to what is going on with companies that mistreat them. In laboratories, animals “are forced to inhale toxic fumes, others are immobilized in restraint devices for hours, some have holes drilled into their skulls, and others have their skin burned off or their spinal cords crushed” (Experiments on Animals: Overview). Afterwards, these animals get disposed off as if their lives had no meaning. Cosmetic and household products aren’t the only ones that are guilty of testing on animals. Scientist kills thousands of animals for biology lessons. It is unethical to mistreat a living being and then kill it for scientific purposes. These animals suffer, not only physically but mentally as well. They suffer while they are being caged and deprived of any nutrition, waiting for their fate. Moreover, animals have feelings too, as they develop anxiety, they bit off their own fur and do physical damage to themselves. It is important for people to get educated. Consumers don’t realize that their tax dollars are being used to fund laboratories to test on animals. They also don’t realize that “almost 1 million animals are held captive in laboratories or used in experiments (excluding rats, mice, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and agricultural animals used in agricultural experiments), plus an estimated 100 million mice and rats” (Experiments on Animals: Overview). If people want the cruelty of testing on animals to stop, they can use their voice to make it happen. One way people can help is by sending letters to research funding agencies by letting them know that you don’t want your tax dollar being spent on mistreating animals. Everyone has a voice and with dedication they can put an end to animal experimentation, especially now that technology has advanced so far and there are other methods research agencies can use.

            As the world advances, so is the technology around us. With the rapid growth in technology, scientist and other companies can start using other non-animal methods to test their products and also get the education they need from dissecting animals. In the article, “Alternatives to Animal Testing: A Review” Sonali Doke observes that there are alternative methods to save animals from being torture from scientific purposes. He suggests the use of “vitro models, cell cultures, computer models, and new imaging/analyzing techniques” (Doke, Dhawale). With the use of these methods, anything can be achieved in a more ethical manner. Also, through the use of computers, software can be made to create simulations to predict the effects of a drug being created without the use of animal dissection. He argues that a software known as Computer Aided Drug Design (C.A.D.D) can be used to “predict the receptor binding site for a potential drug molecule […] and identify probable binding site and hence avoids testing of unwanted chemicals having no biological activity” (Doke,Dhawale). Cosmetic and even pharmaceutical companies can get together with other companies to help them get their product tested through other means.

            Many people may argue that it is necessary for cosmetic and healthcare companies to experiment on animals to ensure their safety and to provide further education in science (Animal Testing). However, animals and humans are very different in their biological structure. Most of the data gathered from animals is inaccurate and any medicine or formulation tested on an animal can still cause harm to humans. Also, animals suffer just the same way humans do. It is also ignorant and unethical to discriminate against animals because they are different from humans and don’t have the mental capacity that humans do. Moreover, people need to realize the damage that is being done to the animals and use their tax money so that they can use other alternatives that don’t involve animal cruelty.

            Animal testing has been a hot topic over the years. Cosmetic and household companies use animal testing to get their product out on the market by claiming it is “safe” to use. However, it is an unethical practice and since animals are different from humans, it gives inaccurate data when testing; furthermore, there are other non-animal test methods that can be used to avoid animal cruelty. It all starts with letting your voice be heard and letting these companies know that people don’t support their methods. Also, it starts with the consumer. The consumer can stop purchasing items that are based on animal experimentation by doing research. In the end it all starts with getting an education and spreading knowledge to safe the animals from suffering.

Work Cited

“Animal Data Is Not Reliable for Human Health Research (Op-Ed).” LiveScience, Purch, https://www.livescience.com/amp/46147-animal-data-unreliable-for-humans.html.

“Animal Experimentation.” ABDO, https://abdobooks.com/shop/show/10860.Image

Doke, Sonali K., and Shashikant C. Dhawale. “Alternatives to Animal Testing: A Review.” Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, Elsevier, 18 Nov. 2013, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319016413001096

“Experiments on Animals: Overview.” PETA, 11 Nov. 2004, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/animals-used-experimentation-factsheets/animal-experiments-overview/.

Harris, Richard. “Drugs That Work In Mice Often Fail When Tried In People.” NPR, NPR, 10 Apr. 2017, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/04/10/522775456/drugs-that-work-in-mice-often-fail-when-tried-in-people.

Jones, Fionnuala. “This Is What China’s New Animal Testing Laws Mean for the Beauty Industry.” The Daily Edge, https://www.dailyedge.ie/china-animal-testing-laws-4552044-Mar2019/. Image

“Pros & Cons – ProCon.org.” Animal Testing, https://animal-testing.procon.org/.

“Vivisection in NZ FAQs & Facts.” NZAVS, https://www.nzavs.org.nz/animal-testing-infomation/vivisection-in-nz/. Image.

“Why Do Companies Continue to Test Products on Animals?” PETA, 7 July 2010, https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/why-do-companies-continue-to-test-products-on-animals/.