Lately in my University 112 class, we've been talking about animal testing. Right or wrong? Many people do believe it is wrong and based on this website: it can't be any worse. In one terrible picture, you can see the scraps and remains of animals that were tested on. I apologize for the extremely graphic photo, but this is the real life documentation of animal treatments in research facilities.

"Great Ape" Resarch

Remains of animals being tested on

                                       
They were thrown into a bag like they were of no worth. I believe if animals are being tested on they at least need to be treated humanely. This brings us to the discussion of possibly giving animals human rights. This may sound scary if you don't understand the concept. However, rights in this sense would be treating them as if they have intelligence, awareness, emotional, and social needs.

For our in  class assignment, we had to create a source conversation based on the different views of varying medical researchers. The conversation I prepared is shown below and allows an insight into the opposing views on animal rights.

Stump: So you believe animals shouldn't have human rights. Why is that if they have all the features a person has?

Jones: Not all animals have features of a person. Honestly, if you think about it: what you're asking of animals may be too drastic.

S: Please go on and explain this to me then Mr. Jones.

J: Well, mice share around 90 percent of their DNA profile with humans. They don't have humanistic characteristics and we must go through with medical research to further our technology.

S: Correct, but what about the great apes? As we all know it, these animals share nearly all of the same DNA makeup with humans. Anyways, animals feel pain too and some (like the great ape) have emotional and social needs that should not be abused.

J: Humans feel pain too and go through with medical research of their own!

S: Humans know what they are signing up for when they do it though unlike innocent animals who can't communicate what they want or what they are feeling.

J: Alright, alright. Changing the gears, what about the ideas to extend medical research to mammals such as elephants and dolphins? Are you telling me they deserve these so called animal-human rights?

S: Look, when us good people talk about rights, we are only aiming to protect these animals. There is no need to  try and mock what is the right thing to be doing.

J: Well there needs to be a line drawn somewhere and if this law is passed, we will have no further animal testing. No more animal testing means no more extensions in the medical field. This means we could never find a cure for things like cancer and diabetes.

S: That could happen possibly, but protecting animals- especially the great apes- is the most important task our society should have.

J: I have to respect your opinions on this but I still feel they should not receive animal-human rights because we will put a halt on extending the human's medical race.

S: And I respect yours as well but I think it is too cruel and wrong to perform such tasks. So good day and good bye Mr. Jones.

J: Farewell Mr. Stump.



Picture 1 from: http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_cruelty/Pictures/remainstestedanimals.jpg
Picture 2 from: http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_cruelty/Pictures/primateresearch.jpg