Persuasive Essay On Animal Testing

Thomas Jefferson had once stated that "Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages." This statement was in regards to animal testing affecting many very well alive, responsive beings. Animal testing has been a method of research that has been used for thousands of years, and it is still being used today. There are many different forms of animal testing--yet most of the tests have been said to be unethical. Though many protesters have been rallying against the cruel tests, animal testing has been said to be one of the worst forms of research in modern day history.

Animal testing is a practice that is used by many researchers today, yet the origins of it are not well known by the public. It is known that the Greeks and

Without the activism that went into stopping animal testing and cruelty, more unethical research would be performed on animals. In the beginning, two scientists from the United Kingdom, known as Bill Russell and Ray Burch, had composed an idea. In 1959 the two would come up with the 3 R’s principle in regards to animal research. The 3 R’s principle had stated that to slow down animal testing, researchers should replace, reduce, and refine their tests. Replace meant that if entirely possible, to avoid using any sort of animal during research. Reduce meant that less animals should be used, if replacing them couldn’t fully work for a test. Refine meant that any procedure that involved an animal should be improved if it could not be done with any other form of life (Coster 40-42). Later on, Greg Avery, from the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty campaign, had stated that “Businessmen don’t care about ethics; all they care about is profit. They don’t make ethical decisions; they make financial ones. So we turn it into a financial decision--we will hit you where it hurts and that’s hitting you in the pocket” (Coster 38). The Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty campaign, better known as SHAC, had made the choice to where they would refuse to buy from companies that supported animal cruelty, as stated in the quote. This had meant that they would wind up protesting in a peaceful way, by not buying products from said companies. Additionally, in 1986 an act from the United Kingdom, known as the UK Medicines act had ruled that the use of any sort of ape would be forbidden (Coster 47). This act had meant that society was taking a direction that they found animal testing unacceptable. Although animal testing has not yet been eradicated, and it is still a big part of science and research--many different methods have been used to cut down on the animals