Dear Donald Trump; 

An estimated 26 million animals are poisoned, crippled, burned and abused in other ways in U.S. labs every year. Animals are used to test products before being used on humans. These tests can hurt the animals in many ways and although there are alternative methods, U.S. laws do not require that they be used. Pro-Con.org states that animals are so different from human beings that research on animals often yields different results. The use of animals for lab testing is not only inhumane, but also not as effective as alternative methods.

Animal testing dates back to the early years of 500 BC. Proponents, or people that support animal testing, make a statement that this has contributed to many life-saving treatments for both humans and animals, there is no alternative method, and that strict regulations prevent the mistreatment of animals in laboratories. Looking at the facts, however, animals do not get many of the diseases that humans have, for example, heart diseases, cancer, and schizophrenia. These diseases are artificially induced into the animals in a way to mimic the human diseases. This is unnatural because humans are a lot more complex in the means of genetics and perhaps different personal experiences. It is unsurprising to find that most animal experiments fail to work in humans. The support for animal testing is plainly not backed up, so not only are people wasting time and money, but also wasting the lives of many animals that could be saved.

There are many alternative ways to go about this and laws that should be protecting animal lives. One alternative method to animal testing is In Vitro (in glass testing). This is when cells are studied inside a petri dish. This has also proven to have more relevant results. Another example is called mircodosing. Artificial human skin cells grown in test tubes can produce more useful results than those tested on animals.

Some may say that animals are protected by certain rights and do not permit the mistreatment of animals in laboratories. However, recent studies have shown that actually only 95% of animals are not protected by the animal welfare act. This is horrible! Imagine spending your entire life as a hospital patient, being tested and abused constantly, and are completely helpless to defend yourself. This is only the beginning. Laboratories are continuing to misuse animals every day.

The use of animals for lab testing is not only inhumane, but also not as effective as alternative methods. Animals in labs are stressed, bored, and live an unnatural life of being confined. The only different thing that happens in their life is being called to the lab to undergo painful and life threatening procedures. There are numerous ways to help these animals, such as taking action to stop this abuse. We must enact legislation for the fair and cruel treatment of all creations. Please act now before another animal is unnecessarily sacrificed.

Sincerely,

Allie

Bibliography

"Arguments against Animal Testing." Cruelty Free International, www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/why-we-do-it/arguments-against-animal-testing. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.

"Harm and Suffering." Neavs.org, 2016 New England Anti-Vivisection Society, www.neavs.org/research/harm-suffering. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.

"Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing?" ProCon.Org, 24 May 2016, animal-testing.procon.org/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2016.