Every year 26 million animals are used in the United States for scientific and commercial testing. Discriminating against animals because they don’t have cognitive ability, language, or moral judgement isn’t justifiable just because they aren’t humans. Animals can suffer just as humans do, it is considered speciesism to experiment on them while we refrain from experimenting on humans. These animals suffer and are put through intense and unnecessary physical and psychological pain because researchers are too lazy to improve their testing methods. Animals used in experiments are often forced fed, along with being forced to inhale food and other substances, they can be deprived of food and water, they are put through infliction of burns and other injuries, and even physical restraint. It is proven that animals are very different from humans and therefore make poor test subjects. Drugs that pass animal tests are not necessarily safe because some chemicals that are harmful to animals are proven valuable when used by humans.

In 1966 the Animal Welfare act was signed into law by president Lyndon B. Johnson. It is the only federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research in exhibition. However, the Animal Welfare Act has not succeeded in preventing horrific cases of animal abuse in research labs. There are over 338 possible violations that the AWA has failed to report. In perspective, if the government can’t help these animals, who can?

Alternative testing methods are now available that can replace the need for animals. For example, studying cell structures (In Vitro testing, in glass) has the ability to produce better results because human cells can be used, without harming anyone. In Vitro test methods and models based on human cell and tissue cultures. There are computerized patient-drug databases and virtual drug trials that we could be using. Microdosing is also a popular alternative in which humans are given very low quantities of a drug to test the effects on the body on the cellular level, without affecting the whole body system.

Overall, animal testing and abuse needs to be noticed and stopped. Putting innocent and helpless creatures through not only physical, but psychological pain should not be tolerated anywhere. With today’s technology, the government and the citizens of the United States should take this issue into their own hands and prevent any more animals from being harmed for scientific improvements.