Some think of animal testing as a “necessary evil” in the development of medications, vaccines, and the research of disease. This prevalent misconception harms humans as well as animal test subjects suffering in laboratories. Animal tests are notoriously unreliable in their ability to predict results in humans with 92% of new medications failing in human trials despite passing animal tests. In the past, misleading results from animal testing have led to large-scale human health crises. The arthritis medication, Vioxx, was withdrawn after causing heart attacks and strokes in an estimated 88,000 and 139,000 patients- up to 60,000 of them fatal. Vioxx had been approved after six successful animal studies across four species.

Animal experiments can even hold back the distribution of effective drugs. Penicillin was ineffective in treating rabbits and toxic to guinea pigs, and yet is considered one of the greatest medical advancements in history. With multiple effective and reliable alternatives to animal testing, from in vitro testing to human cell cultures, the reason animal testing continues boils down to money. Animal experimentation is a multi-billion dollar industry that profits from the suffering of humans and animals alike.

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Animal Abuse = Human Abuse

Why is making the connection important?

As animal advocates, we are often met with the claim that our advocacy for animals is somehow less important because human suffering is a priority. We won’t address the hypocrisy of this claim here. However, by clearly illustrating the connection of how animal abuse also leads to human abuse, this not only counteracts this quick dismissal of animal suffering, but it can also make our message easier for others to relate to from a human rights perspective.

This is the seventh release of our new series “Animal Abuse = Human Abuse” designed to help expand the reach of our advocacy for animals to new audiences.