Of Mice and Men

Knowing how sensitive i am to animal welfare issues, Miss C has been rather concerned about me joining a workforce where intensive animal research will be carried out everyday

In my younger days, i must admit that i was greatly prejudiced against using animals for research (aka "animal testing"). Whenever any occasion arose (school projects, presentations, debates etc.), i'd take full opportunity to voice out my stand towards such "cruelty". Back then, anyone who subjected any animal to anything else besides tender loving care was deemed to be the incarnate of Lucifer.

I suppose i was stupid and ignorant then.

Over the years, i realised how vital animal research is towards the advancement of medical science. Whether i like or not, it is a necessary evil. And if it is so, we jolly well make sure that the welfare of these animals are safeguarded and nothing unecessary is done to them.

Some people might find this whole concept of animal welfare amongst animal research pretty contradictory. It's the same with how people argue that there's no such thing as "humane killing". Fair enough if you don't eat meat and stay away from anything remotely associated with an animal (e.g leather or gelatin in Mentos), but if you stone a scientist involved in animal research, you bloody hell make sure you swear off your children's immunization program, your mum's heart bypass surgery or even antibiotics when you're sick!

It's true. From antibiotics to vaccinations to blood transfusion to chemotherapy, they all involved animal research one way or another. Practically every present day protocol for the prevention, treatment, cure and control of disease/pain/suffering is based on knowledge through research on animals. Here are a few examples (that most of us are ignorant or have taken for granted):

1) Chester (and all other dogs that are vaccinated regularly!) live a longer and happier life thanks to vaccines that prevent distemper, rabies, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis etc.

2) Newer treatment for heart problems, traumatic injuries, cancer can save and enhance the lives of millions of our beloved pets. Novel breeding techniques are used to protect and preserved endangered species.

3) Smallpox has been eradicated from the face of the earth.

4) Polio has been eradicated in many parts of the world and are being successfully treated elsewhere. Billions of children are being protected from this crippling disease through vaccination.

5) Millions of people go through coronary heart bypass or heart catheterisation surgery each year to prevent potentially fatal heart attacks. These people subsequently lived to celebrate more birthdays.

6) Imminent death is no longer a certainty for patients who have benefited from successful organ (e.g liver, heart) transplant.

7) People who suffer from epilepsy have effective medication to successfully control seizures.

8) People who suffer from asthma have quick acting drugs that relieve mild asthma attack as well as acute and potentially fatal attacks.

Animal research has contributed much much more than this but i hope this post has enlightened some, perhaps? If you're interested, go do an online search to find out more. You'll be surprised. You're also welcome to take an excerpt of this post and publish it on your blog just to educate others on this subject.

Anyway, just so you know. NO, i'm not a vegetarian. Who dictates that animal lovers need to abstain from meat? Not me definitely. I'm a big fan of preserved meat and this Bangers and Mash dish from Coffee Club drives me absolutely nuts, in a good way! Yummmm......heaven.

Bangers and Mash
Originally uploaded by manniqueen.