Animal rights is currently an extremely controversial issue regarding testing for advancement in biomedical technology, cosmetics, drugs, househould products and many other everyday items. Term 'Vivisection' literally means the cuttng up of living animals, but is used as a general term for all experiemnts on living animals (in vivo). The majority of the controversy lies in the misuse and inhumane treatment of animals during testing. Many organizations have been accredited for promoting humane use of animals during testing and for finding alternatives to the mishandling of animals for research purposes. This issue of animal rights falls into the category of biomedical ethics, whereas a multitude of pharmaceutical and biomedical companies use animals as subjects for research in the development and advancement of new chemicals for use in drugs.
Animal Rights Coalition, USA
The ARC works to fight the many faces of animal abuse in cooperation
with other similarly-focused organizations nationally and internationally.
Several issues addressed include: animal cruelty, greyhounds, circuses,
rodeos, hunting, and fur. There is also a section for pet care and
for vegetarians.
Vivisection
This site explains what vivisection is and some of the horror that
is involved. It also places great emphasis on myths and some experimentation
which have mislead doctors and the general public. It also offers
an alphabetical listing of animals used as subjects for testing purposes.
It offers alternatives and replacements for current procedures and actions.
The Absurdity of Vivisection
This site offers information on differences in personality of people
who are for and against vivisection. It offers links to offsite articles
which reinforce the fraud, lies, and myths which accompany vivisection.
Also included is directed relation to health problems such as Diabetes
and HIV/AIDS with research done through vivisection.
Australian and
New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching
In this web site the ANZCAART strives for developing community consensus
on ethical, social, and scientific issues relating to the use of animals
in research and teaching. It's goals are for excellence in the care
of animals in research and teaching, responsible scientific use of animals,
and informed discussion and debate within the community regarding these
matters.
Association for the Assessment
and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care
AAALAC is a private nonprofit organization that promotes the humane
treatment of animals in science through a voluntary accreditation program.
Accreditation shows that an institution is serious about setting, achieving
and maintaining high standards for animal care and use. This site
also offers regulations and guidelines and a listing of accredited organizations.
Animal Care at the
University of Kansas
This site shows how the University of Kansas supports and conducts
humane animal use, where no acceptable alternative exists. Though they
believe that the teaching and research they conduct cannot be pursued effectively
without the use of living, nonhuman species, they have been supported and
accredited for their humane endeavors.
Hello and
Goodbye
This site tells the story of Mr. Bunny-no-name who leads you through
the terror and inhumane procedure of animal testing at one of the world's
largest consumer products corporation.
Proctor and Gamble Kills
This site encourages a boycott of Proctor and Gamble products by offering
curetly free alternatives and a recap of the March 25, 2000 Global Day
of Action, where hundreds of thousands of protestors spoke out against
the abuse and mistreatment of animals at the P&G Laboratories.
They state "Our goal: to stop the company's blinding, burning, maiming
and killing of thousands of animals each year in product tests that are
cruel, outdated and not required by law."