USING OUR FURRY FRIENDS

Regardless of perspective, animals have made vital contributions to medical research. Does science have an obligation to consider their well-being?

PLEASE NOTE: Images and descriptions displayed in this museum may be disturbing for some viewers.

Discretion advised.

CHEMICAL TESTING ON ANIMALS

Animals are forced to do our dirty work, and suffer the consequences.

[Image: Plantedbasednews, (2018), the image portrays a rabbit being used for mascara testing]

OSTEOMYELITIS (BONE INFECTION) EXPERIMENTATION ON ANIMALS

This experiment highlighted what happens whenever osteomyelitis is contracted.

[Image: NCBI, (2009), this x-ray portrays a goat with osteomyelitis]

SILVER SPRING MONKEYS TESTING

Macaque Monkeys subjected to painful medical experimentation in order to understand Neuroplasticity.

[image: Alex Pacheco, 1981.The Acute Noxious Stimuli Test. Surgical Pliers clamped and fastened on the monkey to understand which parts of the body handled pain]

KITTEN CANNIBALISM

In 2003 the USDA fed kittens contaminated minced cat and dogs to observe the effects of Toxoplasmosis

[Image: NBCNEWS, 2019, Cat on a table with hand holding it in place.]

HORSESHOE CRABS & VACCINE RESEARCH

Known for their bright blue blood that is sensitive to endotoxins, horseshoe crabs are utilized in medical research to prevent vaccination contamination. However, improper usage of horseshoe crabs has led to a significant decrease in their population.

[image: Green Queen, 2020. Horseshoe Crab Blood Collection for Vaccine Contamination Tests]

HORSESHOE CRAB HARVESTING, REGULATIONS, AND UPDATES

Horseshoe crabs have been harvested for their blood for a great amount of time. How have protections been put in place to protect their species and what alternatives have been created?

[Image: SCDNR - Horseshoe Crabs. (N.D.) Illustration of anatomy of horseshoe crabs.]

CATS CAN HANDLE IT

Cats were a popular animal for conducting neurological research on before 1985, due to their ability to withstand extensive surgeries. Many were spared after regulations and negative public opinion on experimentation of companion animals began to rise.

[MacLean, J.B. and Leffman H.,1967. Fig. 1. Diagram to show site of stimulation an recording in the Supraspinal control of Renshaw Cells Experiment.]

DENTAL RESEARCH ON ANIMALS

Dental experiments often require animal subjects.

[Image: Pawel Gaul/ iStock.com. A white and black guinea pig is receiving an oral syringe of clear liquid]

MONKEYS AND ADDICTION RESEARCH

Rhesus monkeys were trained to self-administer various drugs during the 1969 case study on addiction.

[Image: Deneau, G. et al. (1969) Illustration of harness designed for Rhesus monkey.]

MICE AS EARLY PREGNANCY TESTS

Scientists used to exploit mice (and other animals) for early pregnancy testing.

[Image: Olszynko-Gryn, J. (2014) The Aschheim-Zondek Reaction.]

NEURALINK

Neuralink's groundbreaking neurosurgery breakthrough targets paralysis, but ethical concerns trigger a review, emphasizing transparency, especially in animal testing and the ethical use of materials like Bioglue.

[Image: Rory Cellan Jones, BBC, 2020. Elon Musk Standing next to the Neuralink Surgical Robot]

BEAGLE TRIALS: PESTICIDE TESTING ON BEAGLES

Pesticide testing on Beagles has been a contentious issue in the United States for decades, with supporters claiming it is important to verify pesticide safety and detractors claiming it is immoral and causes unnecessary suffering to the dogs.

[Image: Beaglepro, (2016), A Beagle being held in a cage]

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