by E.A. Paul

Created on: January 28, 2009

Animal testing in the United States is an unnecessary procedure that continues to exist. As long as researchers feel the need to test a drug or some other product for side effects or toxicity, animal testing will continue. Unfortunately for the animals, they are usually tortured in the process. This must stop, and alternative ways of testing must be implemented.

The United States has some of the largest companies in the world. Companies that make household products and cosmetics are the biggest offenders of animal testing. Shampoo, cosmetics, household cleaners, hairspray, and many other products are tested on animals for adverse reactions. Rabbits are blinded, primates are tortured, beagle dogs are tortured and injected with toxic chemicals that cause seizures, mice are slowly and painfully killed, and the list goes on and on. The experimental methods are outdated and extremely unnecessary.

Over the years, People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) has uncovered some horrendous animal experiments where the animals are abused and tortured. Through their efforts, many animal testing abuses were brought into the public's awareness which resulted in the shutdown of the abusive operations. The following information is from PETA's website, and can be obtained by going to PETA.org.

In 1981, PETA uncovered the torture of seventeen macaque monkeys used in experiments at the Institute of Behavioral Research in Silver Spring Maryland. The lab was raided by police, and the researcher, Edward Taub, was charged with 113 counts of animal torture.

PETA uncovered the torture of primates at the University of Pennsylvania head injury laboratory. The lab lost it's funding and fines were implemented by the government.

Throughout the years, PETA has consistently uncovered many other animal abuses in experimental laboratories. The large U.S. cosmetic companies Avon, Revlon, and Estee Lauder all used animals in torturous experiments for adverse cosmetic reactions. Most of the time, chemicals were put in animal's eyes which usually led to blindness. Also, chemicals were injected under their skin which caused painful rashes and acute toxicity. Other U.S. companies such as Welches, Ocean Spray and others funded horrendous animal experiments.

In their undercover operations, PETA also discovered animals being used in crash tests at General Motors. It was discovered that animals were injected with formaldehyde at the Carolina Biological Supply Company, as well as rats being embalmed alive and tortured. And these practices still continue today.

To date, PETA has uncovered hundreds of animal abuses in experimental labs. It's unfortunate that some researchers can think so little of, and have such a disregard for animals, that they can subject these innocent animals to torturous experiments.

In order for these unfortunate animals to have any chance of a good life, which they deserve, organizations like PETA, and others, are out there trying to bring these unnecessary abuses to the public's attention. There are laws that protect animals from severe abuse, but it's up to the politicians, lawyers, and government agencies to prosecute and impose fines on the researchers who abuse animals. Also, we, the consumer, can do our part and not purchase the products that have been tested on animals.

It's about time that all of us wake up to the fact that innocent animals are being tortured by large U.S. companies for the sake of a profit. Please do your part to stop this abuse and don't purchase the products that were tested on innocent animals. You can make a difference!

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