第2章 Lesson 2 Animals Have Feelings, Too!

Although we may not think about it too much, products are tested on animals everyday. Cosmetics, hair care products, and medications are just a few of the products that have been tested on animals for many decades. Animal testing is done to make sure products are safe for humans and has been proven effective in creating a vaccine for polio, for example. However, animal testing is often cruel, and if people were more aware of what goes on, it might be easier to get laws passed to stop it.

Animals endure various kinds of tests. Rabbits are often used for an eye irritancy test. The rabbit is placed in a neck restraint so that only its head is sticking out. Its eyelids are clipped open so the chemical isn't rubbed out of the eye. The rabbit is then observed anywhere form three to eighteen days, by which point the rabbit is usually blind. Other common side effects are swollen or bleeding eyes. Rabbits also sometimes break their necks while trying to escape from the restraints.

Another common test is the Acute Toxicity Test or the Poisoning Test, which is done to determine how much of a certain chemical is required to kill an animal. Chemicals are injected into the veins, stomach, nasal cavities, and other organs. Reactions include bleeding from the mouth, eyes, and nose as well as strenuous breathing. Based on these results, scientists decide whether or not the chemical is fit for human consumption.

The LD 50 test, or the Lethal Dose 50 test, continues until at least 50 percent of the animals in the experiment die. Then the scientists look at the dosage amount and determine how much is safe for humans to ingest.

Not only are these tests cruel to animals, they don't always yield valid results. This is because drugs don't always have the same effect on animals as they have on humans. Also, the doses that are given to animals often far exceed the dosage that humans are exposed to. A good test subject should have the same neurobiological mechanisms, the same symptoms, the same treatment responses, and the same origin of disease. Some animals may be able to meet some of these criteria, but there are no animals that meet all four.

I. Word List

cruel: mean, not nice

restraint: something that limits or stops movement

strenuous: very difficult

dosage: the amount of something, usually medicine

ingest: to take into the body

II. Answer the following questions.

1. How do we know that animal testing is cruel?

___________________________________________________________.

2. Why is animal testing actually not very useful?

___________________________________________________________.

3. What are some common side effects of animal testing?

___________________________________________________________.

4. Why is the LD 50 test particularly cruel?

___________________________________________________________.

5. Do you think animal testing should be against the law? Why or why not?

___________________________________________________________.

III. Wrong Sentences—Each sentence contains a mistake. Correct them.

1. Raccoons are often used for an eye irritancy test.__________

2. In the LD 50 Test, all the animals die.__________

3. Drugs always have the same effect on humans and animals.__________

4. Many people think animal testing should be more common.__________

5. Humans are usually given the same dosage as animals.__________

IV. True, False, or Not Given—Read these sentences carefully. Write T (true), F (false), or NG (not given) for each one.

___ 1. Animal testing is done in all countries.

___ 2. Eye irritancy tests often make the subjects blind.

___ 3. Rabbits sometimes injure themselves while trying to escape from restraints.

___ 4. All the results from animal testing are useful.

___ 5. Animal testing is becoming more common.