Joshua Palco

ENG 113A
Prof. Altman
20, November 2014
Animals Have Rights Too!
For years, animal testing and experimentation has caused a controversy to animal
activists around the world. Animals suffer through human hands; although we fight for equality
it does not appear and treat animals with cruelty. Animals do not have to suffer just because of a
top selling shampoo nor an injection into curing a sickness. There are various ways that these
experiments work without the use of an animals and letting it suffer through the process.
Animals do not have a voice, their suffering is inevitable and they have no choice but to go
through it all. Our society does not know the feeling of being a test subject and do not know that
through all the experiments that these animals go through comes with side effects. These side
effects cause the animals to go blind, to lose their hair, poisoned, and killed just for our own
benefit. Also, our society doesnt notice that killing the animals today, for testing and
experiments decreases population of that certain animal and once its all gone, people would start
to notice but its a little too late. Although some claim animal experimentation is important, we
should no experiment on animals because it can result in killing off the population of animals,
we should be beyond experimentation in the 21st century, we should follow our morals.
In the 21st century, our technology today should find alternatives other than animals to
do experiments on. We have the technology to go further into research and finding the same
results without using these animals. The organization called PETA (People for the Ethical

Treatment of Animals) states that there are other ways of conducting experiments without the use
of animals. One of the ways is through our technology and it is called organ on chips.
Harvards Wyss Institute has created organs-on-chips that contain human cells grown in a
state-of-the-art system to mimic the structure and function of human organs and organ
systems.(PETA) Its main function is to substitute the usage of animals and its understanding of
the human anatomy is far more convenient for researchers. Using this type of technology can not
only save animals from being harmed but it can save many lives because of its accuracy and its
flexibility to know about the human body. Although there is this type of technology out there to
save many animals from crude experiments there are other alternatives specifically using human
blood cells.
In addition, we believe animal test subjects are more ethical to use than human test
subject because we believe that we are on the top of the food chain. Why? Just because he have
thumbs and just because we have the voice doesnt mean we can do this to animals. They have a
meaning and a purpose. Studies believe that animals are not intended to be killed or harm but its
for the sake of humanity. At what cost? Animals are served to be on this earth for a reason. Like
us, we serve a purpose just like them. But our growth in society and into the world of
technology, we learn to understand that there are more solutions rather than using animals. Our
society is to full of themselves because we have hands, feet and a mouth to do things. We think
so highly of ourselves and we forget what our purpose is. What if it was the other way around
and we were tortured by animals? We have the tools, the knowledge and technology to go
beyond animal cruelty. This is why we are innovators in todays world. We learn to adapt just
like animals do. There is an example that we can use our own blood for research and detecting a
disease. These researchers use alternative resources rather than using animals for testing

chemicals and vaccines. A variety of cell-based tests and tissue models can be used to assess the
safety of drugs, chemicals, cosmetics, and consumer products. CeeTox (bought by Cyprotex)
developed a method to assess the potential of a substance to cause a skin allergy in humans that
incorporates MatTeks EpiDermTM Tissue Modela 3-dimensional, human cellderived skin
model that replicates key traits of normal human skin.(PETA) These scientists use a type of
model that can imitate a human skin and tissues. Its efficient because its replicating what a
human skin or tissue would look like to see its reaction to the drug or vaccine. The purpose of
technology is not only for our sake but its for everything else too. More importantly our
moralities and what we believe in, whether its right from wrong.
However, knowing that we use animals for research is one thing, but knowing that it is
suffering and dying because of it is just morally wrong. Many people have voiced their opinion
about animal cruelty and its testing. Studies showed that animal testing isnt 100% accurate with
its drugs. Every year in the United States alone, there are more than 100,000 human deaths all
caused by drugs that were successfully passed by animal testing. (Animal Liberation Front) Its
baffling to see that its not a sure shot that we are getting the drugs that is 100% successful of
curing at disease or sickness. Animals deserve to live and let them live their lives as they are
supposed to. Let them serve their purpose on this earth. Morally, using animals for cosmetic
purposes are just wrong because its an animal, what use is an animal if its just for makeup.
There are other solutions using another method such as a silicon test dummy. For those who are
in medical training there is the TraumaMan. It replicates a breathing, bleeding human torso
and has realistic layers of skin and tissue, ribs, and internal organsare widely used to teach
emergency surgical procedures and have been shown in numerous studies to impart lifesaving
skills better than courses that require students to cut into live pigs, goats, or dogs.(PETA) We

could save millions of animals being killed off because of these intensive research, we do have
the knowledge and technology to change everything.
Today, we have a voice and a choice to repopulate those animals that are almost coming
to its extinction. Its up to use to help these animals survive and help them live their purpose on
this earth. We need these animals because they provide us with essential things such as food,
nutrients and for our land. We cannot afford their population to lessen because of our faults. We
are the cause of these animals to decrease in population because of animal experimentation and
slaughter. We are also the solution, if we all work together.
In conclusion, some claim animal experimentation is important, we should no experiment
on animals because it can result in killing off the population of animals, we should be beyond
experimentation in the 21st century and we should follow our morals, Animal experimentation
isnt an option nowadays knowing the technology we have today. There are better alternatives
that could find a solution that has a better success rate. Just because animals are ethical to use
rather an humans is still morally wrong because we are superior doesnt mean we can torture
something that has a purpose on this earth. We also have our conscience from knowing right
from wrong and knowing that we kill animals just for a certain experiment is morally deaerating.
We have the minds of the future, the technology, and the innovation for the future. We found
alternatives to have percentages better than an animal experiment. Its time for a change.