These things are happening in laboratories around the world according to Elshtain: "The wings of 74 mallard ducks are snapped to see whether crippled birds can survive in the wild. (They can't.) Infant monkeys are deafened to study their social behavior, or turned into amphetamine addicts to see what happens to their stress level. Monkeys are separated from their mothers, kept in isolation, addicted to drugs, and induced to commit 'aggressive' acts. Pigs are blowtorched and observed to see how they respond to third degree burns. No painkillers are used. Monkeys are immersed in water and vibrated to cause brain damage. For thirteen years, baboons have their brains bashed at the University of Pennsylvania as research assistants laugh at signs of the animals' distress. Monkeys are dipped in boiling water; other animals are shot in the face with high powered rifles" (Elshtain, 432-433).

These are the things that are happening in labs around the world are both inhumane and totally inappropriate. Animals do not deserve and are not here for us to kill and inflict pain upon for any of our so-called "human" needs. The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. The

Many alternatives to animal experiments have been developed, including clinical and epidemiological studies, cell and tissue cultures, mathematical, computer and mechanical models and audiovisual guides. In Rollin's book Animal Rights and Human Mortality, he points out that, "If a computer can send a man to the moon, can it not model a mouse? (104)" Alternatives to testing are quicker, cheaper, more precise and much simpler. Wolf Lichter, a microbiologist from the University of Miami, replies, "We do it all in vitro- in glass. The approach is quick, cheaper than housing, feeding and caring for the animals, and in some cases gives the experimenter more control over the test conditions" (Ross, 7).

First of all, how can blowtorching a pig be "humane and appropriate?" It can't, and despite of what people say testing on innocent animals is uncalled for. In Ron Karpati's essay, "I am the Enemy", he states that, "Life if often cruel both to animals and human beings" (429). He goes on to talk about teenagers getting thrown from the backs of moving trucks, and infants drowning in swimming pools while their parents check the mail. Life is cruel to animals and humans but all these things mentioned about are not intentional, but mere accidents. Accidents and terrible things occur in innocent people and animals' lives, but animal testing is no accident. Animals have not control over what humans use them for. In Peter Singer's essay, "Animal Liberation", he raises an important question: "Would we be prepared to let thousands of humans die if they could be saved by a single experiment on a single animal?" (421). First of all, this question is hypothetical. There never has been and never will be a single experiment done on animals that could save thousands of lives. Lastly, in Bill Breen's article, "Why We Need Animal Testing", he supports animal experimentation by saying,

Lab infliction of suffering animals will not keep people healthy in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. 250,000 children die each week around the world. One quarter of these deaths are by dehydration due to diarrhea (438).

To better understand and to be able to take a stand on the issue, you must first know the basic facts of animal experimentation to get an overall view on the issue. Primarily, the word vivisection is the practice of experimenting on live animals. Each year in the U.S., tens of millions of animals are killed in experiments that often do not purport to be linked to human health. Many crude and frivolous experiments are duplicated because there is not central information system that lists data from previous experiments (Rollin, 54). First of all, who conducts these tests? Government agencies, chemical and pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, universities, the military and manufacturers of cosmetics and household products conduct most animal experiments (Rowan, 77). The National Institute of Health (NIH), funded by the U.S. taxpayers is the largest single financer of animal tests done in the world, and the prospect of receiving grant money from NIH sustains many a vivisector's interest in perpetuating his or her career (Rollin, 33).

Rollin, Bernard E. Animal Rights and Human Mortality. New York: Prometheus

Non-animal methods could be used but there is a greed and lack of imagination among the medical community, who prevents such change. That kind of change could save the animals and still broaden our field of medical science. However, change will be difficult to achieve because researchers cannot break old habits, bad science, unreflective cruelty, profit and also a fear that animal testing will stop dead in it's tracks.

Animal testing isn't cheap. While tens of millions of animals die and an estimated $7 billion is spent every year to confine them and make them sick, many people with crippling illnesses are unable to obtain adequate health care, drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers must turn away add

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