Across the globe, millions of animals are subjected to experiments in the name of science. Testing on live animals is known as ‘vivisection’, which comes from the Latin words vivus, meaning ‘alive’, and sectio, meaning ‘cutting’ [1]. The two main types of testing are basic (investigating biology and human disease) and applied (drug research, toxicity, and safety testing) [2]. When an experiment is conducted on a dead animal, it is known as ‘dissection’.

It is claimed that the aim of these experiments is to inform health sciences and biology, and create products that benefit human health and reduce safety concerns. Many scientists, however, are speaking out against animal experimentation, stating that it is ineffective and no longer necessary. All forms of procedures cause both physical and psychological suffering to the animals involved. The following article discusses how the industry operates, the impact on the animals, and alternative methods of testing that are available.

The Industry

Almost no animal is safe from the research industry. In saying this, the most common species used are rats, mice, fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, cats, dogs, pigs, monkeys, and farm animals [3]. Each of these animals has the capacity to feel pain, experience stress, and suffer as a result of being exploited in the name of science. Experiments on animals have been recorded throughout history, with recordings from Early Greek physician-scientists, like Aristotle, in 384-322 BC [4]. Since then it has become a multi-billion dollar industry, entwined with pharmaceutical and chemical industries, the government, and universities.

The exact number of animals used in experiments around the world is unknown, as there are different reporting standards in each country. Cruelty Free International and the Dr Hadwen Trust do monitor the industry, however, and in 2015 estimated that at least 115 million animals were used in laboratories across the globe [5 PDF]. In addition to these animals, millions of others are also killed for their tissue, used to create genetically modified animal strains, or are considered a “surplus” and thrown away [6].

The Three Rs

The principles of the 3Rs, Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement, were developed over 50 years ago as a framework for more ‘humane’ animal research. Replacement means using methods which avoid or replace the use of animals, through modelling and alternate tools. Reduction is to minimise the number of animals used per experiment. Refinement means to minimise animal suffering and improve welfare [7].

Australian Laws

Australia has no national collection or collation system for animal experimentation in place, meaning the number of animals used in laboratories and classrooms is unknown. Humane Research Australia collate the data they can, but have found that even at a “state/territory level, there are lengthy delays in reporting, extremely inconsistent collection and reporting methods between jurisdictions and institutions, and some states and territories don’t even collect statistics at all” [8]. They estimated that in 2017, over 20 million animals were used in Australia [8].

The Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (the Code) governs how animals used in research must be treated [9]. The Code is enforced at state and territory level and requires that any animal testing must be valid, humane, and justifiable. Research can be justified if it has the potential to benefit humans, animals, or the environment, has scientific or educational merit, or is essential to achieve “aims”. The use of animal testing is so entrenched in medical and scientific research that researchers are easily able to argue that such testing is ‘justifiable’, because that is the way it has always been done. Australian standards also use the three Rs [9].

The Code requires all research involving animals to be approved by an Animal Ethics Committee, which must include an animal welfare representative. Unfortunately, this sole voice for the animals is in the minority against pro-vivisection committee members. Animal welfare representatives have been known to have been removed from committees for objecting too much to research on ethical grounds.

Australia’s ban on cosmetic testing

From July 1, 2020, a ban commenced in Australia on the use of information from animal testing to prove safety for new cosmetic ingredients manufactured in, or imported into Australia [10].

While this seems like a wonderful step forward, there is a significant loophole in the ban. Only the chemicals intended for use in cosmetics will be affected, with chemicals found in household cleaning products which are also found in many cosmetics not being impacted by the new legislation [11]. This also means that companies can claim they are testing a pain product, for example, and then use that data for cosmetics.

Types of Research

There are two main types of research; basic and applied.

Basic ‘Biomedical Research’

Basic or “fundamental” research is designed to answer scientific questions that researchers speculate may be useful in the future. It is often an investigation of biology and human diseases. These studies are typically carried out by universities and almost all fail to present any “beneficial” findings. According to Cruelty Free International, just 5% resulted in approved treatments over 20 years [12].

The three main forms of basic research include genetic engineering, physiological research, and psychological research.

Genetically Engineered Animals

Genetic engineering refers to the method of manipulating animal genes to remove specific genes or introduce new genes. An animal whose genetic makeup has been modified through genetic engineering is called a transgenic animal [13]. Mice, rats, rabbits, and pigs are the most common animals used in genetic engineering [13]. This is predominately done for medical research, xenotransplantation, agriculture, pharming (the creation of pharmaceuticals using genetically engineered animals/plants), and cloning.

Medical research involves animals being bred with debilitating diseases that cause extreme suffering and pain, in order to be studied or experimented upon. Some of the diseases bred into research mice include diabetes, cancer, cystic fibrosis, and Alzheimer’s disease [14].

Xenotransplantation is where animals are used to ‘grow’ a human organ, which is then transplanted into a human. Despite primates having a more similar genetic makeup to humans, pigs are used to grow organs for people as they are “cheaper”, not protected, and thus more disposable [15].
A mouse carrying a cancer patient’s tumor graft under its skin.
Credit: Patrick Semansky/AP

The use of genetic engineering in the agricultural industry predominantly involves breeding animals for consumption to grow faster and bigger, increasing feed conversion (less food to grow larger), and even producing “more desirable traits”, such as in carcass characteristics, or growing extra skin and wool in Merino sheep [16]. Dairy cows around the world have been injected with bovine growth hormone (BGH) to increase milk production. BGH is associated with udder disease, shortened lifespan and crippling of the legs [17].
Agricultural research – growth of broiler chickens
Credit: Poultry Science

Pharming is where animals are modified to produce various proteins for pharmaceutical use. For example, goats have been genetically altered to have a spider gene, that causes them to lactate silk in their milk [18].

Cloning is where an animal’s genetic material is replicated to produce an (almost) exact copy [19]. Cloning can be done by embryo splitting and nuclear transfer to produce genetically identical individuals [20]. Scientists in China cloned 5 monkeys, and all showed signs of “negative behaviour”, including sleep disorders, as well as elevated levels of anxiety, hormonal disorders, depression and schizophrenia-like behaviours [21].
*Credit: China Daily via Reuters*

Other experiments include making fish, rats, rabbits, and cats glow, by adding a protein from jellyfish into their genes [22, 23].

Physiological research

Physiological research involves studying the internal physical and chemical functions in an animal, from reproduction to disease and nutrition. It explores the way the body operates in terms of the organ functioning, cells, tissues, and biomolecules systems [24]. This can be from seeing how one part of the brain impacts other bodily functions to damaging or removing a part of the body to assess the impacts [25].

Psychological research

Psychological research studies the behaviours of animals. These tests often study the brain and try to help answer questions about overall functioning and the effect of certain elements [26]. Many of the tests involve making the animals addicted to drugs, giving them anxiety disorders, phobias, urinary incontinence, ruminative vomiting, depression, retrograde amnesia, or schizophrenia [27]. Some examples of tests involve forcing animals to take drugs, isolating them, giving them electric shocks to induce fighting behaviour, food deprivation, and brain damage.

Farmed animals are subjected to a range of behavioural experiments in an attempt to make the industry more profitable. Experiments assess confinement and space, impacts of isolation, how much food, water, warmth, light is needed, and if gender impacts their behaviour [28].

“I used to conduct research with animals. I believe that much of the pain I inflicted on animals was not justified by the value of the data.”
Anonymous researcher [29]

Applied Research

During these experiments, animals are forced to eat or inhale substances, have them rubbed into their eyes, skin, or injected into their bodies. The animals are then monitored and subjected to further testing to assess the results. Most are killed so researchers can see if the ingredients had any impacts on their tissues and organs [30]. The purpose of these tests is to assess any eye irritancy, acute toxicity, repeated dose toxicity, skin corrosivity/irritation, skin sensitisation, dermal penetration, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, ecotoxicity, and pyrogenicity [31].
Credit: Beagle Freedom Project

Baboons Escape in Sydney

In February 2020, a 15-year-old male and two female baboons escaped in the car park of the Royal Prince Alfred hospital. The baboons are part of the national baboon colony at Wallacia, which supplies baboons for scientific testing. The male was said to be scheduled for a vasectomy at the hospital before he escaped. Their fleeting moments of freedom raised attention to the fact that animals like monkeys, are being tested on in Australia.
Humane Research Australia compiled published studies and found there has been the testing of radioactive material on four baboons; a blood pressure study involving 109 baboons as part of research into the effects of hypertension in pregnancy; a study involving nine baboons where researchers attempted to induce preeclampsia, which resulted in the death of one mother and one baby baboon; and a study on shoulder injuries which involved the surgical cutting of the shoulder tendons of eight baboons that were then euthanised to allow post-mortem study of the healing process; and one of the most controversial studies, which involved the transplant of pig organs into baboons [32].

Dissection

“We seem to now teach anatomy in exactly the same way that it was being taught at the end of the dark ages. Specifically, students look at bodies of animals, but are not encouraged in any way to make real observations. Instead, they are encouraged to look for what is already known and then if it does not look quite right, do depict it the way it ‘should’ look.”
Rob Dunn (2013)

Dissection has more than just ethical costs

An animal can only be dissected once, meaning that new animals must be bought every time. According to HRA, substituting dissection for technological programs or 3-D models can result in savings that exceed thousands of dollars. While the cost of setting up such a system may, initially, exceed the prior costs of dissection, it will eventually reap financial benefits over time [34].

Welfare Issues

All animals used in experiments experience suffering and pain. Animals in laboratories are subjected to stressors and abused in the name of science. Animals are starved, confined, isolated, frightened, denied their natural behaviours, bred to have debilitating diseases (e.g cancer, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis), given electric shocks, are doused in chemicals, have their spinal cords and brains damaged, skin burnt off, are blinded, prodded, injected, given drug addictions, and operated on, all while fully conscious [35, 36].

The University of Western Australia, Monash University, the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Melbourne all conducted experiments causing traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats and mice by dropping weights, or via invasive procedures to create fluid in the brain, in an attempt to replicate the human condition [37].

Farmed Animals

If we look at farmed animals, we can see that the years of genetic modification have caused a range of health issues and deformities. Turkeys and chickens grow so large that their internal organs and legs are unable to support their bodies, causing broken bones and death. Turkeys are unable to mate naturally due to their unnatural physical size. Broiler chicken breeder flocks are kept in a constant state of hunger to prevent them from growing too big, allowing them to mate naturally to be able to reproduce. Sheep require humans to shear them, when naturally they would have shed in summer months. Fish on farms are commonly deformed and ill. Our interference with the genetics of these animals have led to a myriad of human-created problems for each species.

Cloning

Cloned mice have been found to become obese, with related symptoms such as raised plasma insulin and leptin levels, however, these characteristics are not found in their offspring [38].

Dolly, the cloned sheep from the cell of a 6-year old sheep, was one of 277 attempts. Dolly suffered from rapid ageing, developing arthritis and pulmonary adenomatosis (a virus-induced lung tumour) and was killed at just 6 and a half years old. Naturally, sheep can live for 12+ years [39].

More information and exposés

Cruelty Free International have released various exposés of the abuse in laboratories around the world [40]. PETA have also been campaigning against animal experimentation for years. Here are some of the experiments they have exposed.

The Animal People, a documentary produced by Joaquin Phoenix, is the true story of animal rights activists who used public protests and a fledgling internet to campaign against the world’s largest animal-testing lab. Rather than the government stepping in to protect the animals, it led to government surveillance, re-written laws, and indictments for “domestic terrorism” (activism for animals). The documentary is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

After Testing

After an experiment is completed, animals are either kept for future experiments (which means further pain and suffering) or are disposed of, meaning they are killed.

Does animal testing work?

The use of animals in experiments is not only cruel but also ineffective and unreliable [2]. The FDA reports that just 8% of drugs that pass tests on nonhuman animals also supposedly work on humans – meaning 92% of drugs approved for testing in humans fail to receive approval for human use [41].

Aysha Akhtar, M.D., M.P.H., a neurologist and preventive medicine specialist, conducted an analysis on animal experimentation and found that despite animals being in many respects biologically and psychologically similar to humans, there are “critically important physiological and genetic differences between humans and other animals can invalidate the use of animals to study human diseases, treatments, pharmaceuticals, and the like” [2].

It is possible, that animal research is more costly and harmful, on the whole, than it is beneficial to human health. When considering the ethical justifiability of animal experiments, we should ask if it is ethically acceptable to deprive humans of resources, opportunity, hope, and even their lives by seeking answers in what may be the wrong place. In my view, it would be better to direct resources away from animal experimentation and into developing more accurate, human-based technologies.
Aysha Akhtar [2]

What are the Alternatives?

Vivisection Alternatives

While humans are animals, and very closely related to certain species, we are biologically different and therefore the results from animal experiments are more often than not unable to be transferred to us. In experiments where animals are artificially given a disease or illness, with the attempt to cure them, the results are affected by the laboratory environment and other variables, the disparities between animal and human diseases, and differences in physiology and genetics [2]. Alternatives to vivisection include:

using human tissue, cells and organs that are grown in laboratories, medical waste such as discarded placentas and adult stem cells, and research through autopsies
using mechanical models and simulators
epidemiology: the study of disease within a given population, to examine how a disease behaves, identify its causes and collect information crucial for its management and prevention
human volunteers participating in controlled studies and clinical trials.

[42, 43, 44, 45]

Dissection Alternatives

Maintaining and encouraging the idea that animals are just tools in the learning system has the danger of inculcating in students detachment and apathy towards animals. Dissection is not mandatory in Australia, and students must be given an alternate activity that allows them to achieve the same outcome [46]. Human Research Australia has provided a list of alternatives for students and teachers here.

Credit: NAVS – Advance Science Without Animal Testing

International Changes

Around the world, animal dissection has been banned in schools and universities:

Argentina, 1987: Dissection was banned from being performed in schools.
Italy: In 1992, a number of Italian laboratory workers campaigned for the law to recognise the legal right of conscientious objection, resulting in Italian Law 413, the first law of it’s kind in permitting workers to refuse to be associated with any action involving animal experimentation. Since 2005 three-quarters of Italian universities have discontinued using live animals for educational experiments. Thus, Italian law granted the right of conscientious objection in 1993.
Slovakia, 1995: Dissection was banned from being performed in all primary and secondary schools.
India, 1996: the High Court of Delhi bans animal dissection.
Israel, 1999: Minister for Education Yossi Sarid announces a ban on the experimentation on animals in schools, citing the development of ‘virtual’ methods of teaching anatomy that make dissection unnecessary.

Issues for consumers

As a consumer, you may not know that the products you are buying have contributed to animals being tested on. Companies are aware of a rise in consumers being against animal testing and have come up with clever marketing strategies to trick the conscientious consumer into believing their products are cruelty-free. These tactics include:

labels that state the product is not tested on animals. This can often mean that the end product is not tested on animals, but the individual ingredients of the product are. Some even use a false “cruelty-free” symbol.
using the phrase ‘we don’t test on animals’, while outsourcing the testing to others.
not testing all products on animals, but testing for the products that the company is sending to China. In China, it is mandatory for all products to be tested on animals, so companies test some products so that they can continue to sell to the Chinese market.
not testing products on animals, but continuing to use animal-derived products as ingredients.

The below logos indicate that a product is cruelty free and its production hasn’t involved animal testing -

What Can I Do?

As a consumer, there are a few things you can do to help animals who are being tested on. Where possible, purchase animal-friendly products (looking out for the vegan logos), and support the work of groups who are fighting to bring animal experimentation to an end -

Check out these animal-friendly products;
Support the work of Humane Research Australia and Cruelty Free International who are constantly fighting for the end of animal testing;
Support Animal Liberation's call for an Independent Office of Animal Welfare;
Become a regular supporter of Animal Liberation and help us create a kinder world for animals.

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Animal Experimentation