Nieves 1

Lily Nieves

Jorgensen

English 10 H P.1

07 May 2019

Animal Testing

Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation is the use of non-humans to

explore different possibilities of the biological system. Many animals such as Chimpanzees,

mice, and even squid are useful to us. Chimpanzees share 99% of their DNA with humans. Mice

are genetically similar to humans by 98%. Squids are studied for the nervous system and they

are the best models. Zoologist, John Zachary Young, and P​hysiologist, Kenneth Cole, first

studied the squid’s nervous system during the 1930s. Many people have debated over the years

whether we should use animals for research or humans. We shouldn't be using humans since in

this modern day body snatching isn't a thing anymore-criminals and even the dead, “Body

snatching became a growth industry in 19th century, as medical schools required fresh bodies for

young surgeons to practice on”(Lamb 1). Scientists need a living model and that's where they

turn to the animals.

Animal testing has contributed so much to our society with many life-saving cures and

treatments. The leading cause of death in the 1900s was pneumonia and tuberculosis. Over the

years it as drastically changed. The leading cause of death as of 2017 is heart disease. According

to Medical News Today, “Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.”(Nicholas

1). As well as cancer, it's the top 2 leading cause of death, “Nearly 75 percent of all deaths in the

United States are attributed to just ten causes with top three of these accounting for over 50
 Nieves 2

percent of deaths”(Nicholas 1). Animal testing has helped so much since they cured and changed

the leading cause of death and they helped people give them more time in life so they can help

find a cure such as cancer and heart disease. Animals have helped cure rabies, found the

discovery of insulin, helped deal with diseases with the polio vaccine and understanding different

conditions like cystic fibrosis and breast cancer. Research from animals has also helped with

over 100 vaccinations such as measles, mumps, and the flu.

In the world we live in, sadly people still get sick and those illnesses aren’t curable, yet.

Research animals can help with this problem. Animals such as dogs, frogs, pigs and horses can

aid in finding a cure for specific illnesses. The scientist, Ivan Pavlov, helped determine how the

digestive system works with dogs, “Ivan Pavlov’s experiments on the digestive systems of dogs

provided the first detailed observations of how the digestive system worked”(Pavlov 1). John

Gurdon was noticed when he cloned a frog, “By taking the nucleus from a cell in the intestine of

a tadpole and placing it in an egg cell, it developed into a fully functional tadpole”(Amaya 1).

The disease HIV and HPV were discovered by similar viruses in horses. When your doing

something that involves serious activity and you hurt your head, CT and CAT scans can help.

Pigs have been very useful to those machines. CT and CAT scans were made out of pig tissue

because of the scientist, Allan Cormack, came up with the solution, “He tested his theory using

gamma-rays on various materials, including pig tissue, and found that his calculations had been

correct”(Animal Research Info 1). These are one of the many reasons animals are great for

research and we should use them.

Some people including myself are huge animal lovers and would be against this since it’s

a very controversial subject,but after doing the research I understand how useful animals can be.
 Nieves 3

The research helps animals live a longer, healthier life expectancy. Animals themselves benefit

from the results of animal testing. If the treatments were not tested on animals, many would die

or suffer from rabies and canine viruses along with other numerous illnesses, “​Dozens of

diseases, from cancer to epilepsy, affect both animals and humans. If your a animal lover and

your worried about your dog and cat then you are in luck. Scientists have shown that less than

half of the animals are dogs and cats, “​Research animals are protected by a host of state, federal,

and international laws. It is estimated that less than half-a-percent of research animals are dogs,

cats, and primates”(Animal Research Info 1). ​Vaccines that treat humans benefit animals, “Many

other conditions are successfully treated, in both humans and animals, with antibiotics”(Animal

Research Info 2). Rabbits were used to produce antibiotics. This animal could have possibility

saved your own pet or save your favorite animal from extinction. The rabbits helped themselves

since they have similarities with humans, ”​Rabbits suffer from many diseases with human

equivalents”(Animal Research Info 1). Without animal research, millions of your favorite

companions would die from over 100 diseases. There are many explanations on how animals can

benefit but these are just of the few that show how they help themselves live a longer life.

Although this is a very debatable subject and there are some failures with testing in the

long run it becomes a positive since it does and can save a lot of lives, both humans and animals.

Over the years, scientists have found out how animals can help us in the world and not just be

our fluffy pet to play with. Scientists have shown us how many animals can show us how our are

different systems work such as nervous system: squid, digestive system:dogs and ​the immune

system: guinea pigs. Without the use of animals, we couldn't have discovered the many

possibilities of how to help people and understand how our and their body works.
 Nieves 4

Works Cited

Consunji, Trish. “Animal Research: How It Benefits Both Humans and Animals - CVMA |

California Veterinary Medical Association.” ​CVMA​,

cvma.net/publications/press-releases/%e2%80%a2animal-research-how-it-benefits-both-

humans-and-animals/. Accessed 29 April 2019

David. “How Animal Research Helps Pets.” ​Foundation for Biomedical Research​, 27 Aug.

2018, fbresearch.org/animal-research-helps-pets/. Accessed 29 April 2019

Lamb, Robert. “How Human Experimentation Works.” ​HowStuffWorks Science,​

HowStuffWorks, 28 June 2018,

science.howstuffworks.com/human-experimentation1.htm. Accessed 07 May 2019

Nichols, Hannah. “The Top 10 Leading Causes of Death in the United States.” ​Medical News

Today​, MediLexicon International, 23 Feb. 2017,

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282929.php​. Accessed 30 April 2019

“Should Animals Be Used in Research?” ​Debates,​ The Public Engagement Team at the

Wellcome Genome Campus, 3 Mar. 2017,

www.yourgenome.org/debates/should-animals-be-used-in-research​. Accessed 29 April

2019

“Ten Facts about Research Animals.” ​Understanding Animal Research​, 2017,

www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/animals/10-facts/​. Accessed 02 April 2019

“Why We Use Animals in Research.” ​Foundation for Biomedical Research​, 28 Nov. 2018,

fbresearch.org/why-we-must-use-animals-in-research/. Accessed 02 April 2019