Have you ever thought about whether the product your putting in your hair, rubbing on your skin, or applying to your own face is tested to see if it is safe? It may be safe for us but that doesn't mean that it is for everybody. Many animals suffer so that we can use products that we use in our everyday lives. Most tests are obscene and very old. There are a few different types of tests. One is called an eye irritantcy test. In this test the animals are not allowed to move and are not given anesthesia. The scientists drop a substance into the animals eyes and record the damage to the eye usually over a time period of 72 hours but sometimes longer ones from 7 to 18 days. Injuries from the substances can include swollen eyelids, inflamed irises, ulceration, bleeding, massive deterioration, and blindness. Throughout the course of the test the animals eyes are held open with clips. Breaking of the neck is common among these tests because the animals struggle to escape. Another test is an acute toxicity test, otherwise known as lethal dose or poisoning tests. They figure out how much of the substance can kill a percentage. Sometimes it can be up to 100%. To perform this test the product is forced into the animals stomach with a tube or by a hole cut into the throat. It can also be injected in various places,for example, under the skin, into a vein, or the lining in the abdomen. Other ways of testing it can include inhalation, or direct contact on the eye, rectum, or vagina. The reactions are observed and some can include, labored breathing, diarrhea, constipation, emaciation, skin eruptions, abnormal posture, and bleeding from the nose ,mouth and eyes. At least 50% of the animals die within two to four weeks. You may be asking yourself, why would anyone do that to an innocent animal? According to the law it is not necessary to have products tested. Manufacturers decide whether or not they want to test their product. The reason companies do this is because the tests make it possible to put almost any product on the market. Another reason why would be because if the product was tested it can help defend manufacturers against lawsuits. Thirdly, consumers want things with new ingredients and it is considered to be the cheapest and easiest way to "say the products are safe."
Ten of millions of animals are killed or maimed every year in testing so a solution could be a new alternative, Episkin. Episkin is fake human ski that replaces some animal testing for cheaper, and it is less time. Another alternative is pieces of human flesh that is donated to be tested on for products in place of lab animals. Over time hopefully animal testing will be largely reduced or eliminated.
I chose this subject because I've heard about the terrible things they do to animals to test products and I had no clue that all these were true. Animals should not suffer on account of humans.I am 100% against testing products on animals and think it is insane and completely wrong. In my science class when we do experiments we first set up a hypothesis. To test the animals the experimenters need to form hypotheses to test what is likely going to happen when the substance reacts with the animal. Animal testing needs to be eliminated and it needs to happen now.
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