Animal Testing Outdated

With over one hundred million animals killed in testing every year in the United States alone, alternative methods should begin being ushered in. Every day animals are being harmed in the name of “forward progress,” while every day alternative methods are being discovered and explored. As scientific data is gathered on alternative methods, testing on animals becomes more and more outdated. Animal testing is outdated and should not be considered helpful anymore because it is cruel, pointless, and ridiculously expensive. The Animal Welfare Act of 1966 was established to create satisfactory standards for the treatment of animals. Animals used for research should be protected by the Animal Welfare Act, however, the animals excluded from this act are birds, rats, mice, farm animals, and endothermic animals. As a result, a tiny percentage of animals used in research are actually protected under this act. As important as it is to bring attention to this problem, it is also very essential to mention that, even though they are not protected under the Animal Welfare Act, they are not necessarily treated poorly.
Some people believe animal testing should be continued because of the advances in science it has provided. Animals across species share many characteristics in the way their cells function, …show more content…
The United States spends approximately fifteen million dollars a year (“National Toxicology Program”) on research and testing performed on animals. With alternatives costing a margin of the amount as their animal counterparts, it seems only logical to push forward with alternative testing methods. In animal testing regarding skin corrosion from chemical exposure, the Draize rabbit skin test will cost nearly $1,800. Alternatively, the Epiderm™ Skin Test will cost $850, and the Corrositex® Membrane Barrier test only costs $500 (“Cost of Animal and Non-Animal