By using animals in research, and through animal research science learns how certain chemicals "interact with living systems"; this knowledge can be "translated into protection of humans, animals, and the environment from toxic levels of natural -- as well as man-made -- exposures (SOT, 6).
Legal and professional accountability
In Canada there are Research Ethics Boards (REBs) that have the power to authorize or reject funding for experiments with animals; when animal research proposals do not meet with proper ethical requirements, the REBs can put a halt to the experiments (Tremayne-Lloyd, et al., 2007, p. 56-57). The law in Canada -- which should be imitated in other countries that do not now have laws protecting animals -- allows that an overseeing regulatory agencies like the College of Chiropractors of Ontario (CCO) can "reprimand members and/or suspend or revoke licenses to practice" (Tremayne-Lloyd, 57). Cruelty to animals, assault on animals, or "criminal negligence" can lead to legal ramifications for the organizations conducting research using animals. An "assault" is committed when there has been no legal authorization by an REB and "force is intentionally applied" to an animal (Tremayne-Lloyd, 59). Moreover, section 446 of the Criminal Code in Canada makes it a criminal act to willfully cause "…any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal including that which results from a failure to...
Regulating the use of animals, like it is done in Canada, is the best idea, short of finding alternatives to the use of animals in important research.
Works Cited
American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. (2008). Animal Research FAQ.
Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.aalas.org.
Archibald, Kathy. (2005). Test People, Not Animals. New Scientist, 187(2518), 1-2.
Kolar, Roman. (2006). Animal Experimentation. Science and Engineering Ethics, 12(1), 111-
PETA. (2011). Animals Used for Experimentation / Leaked Video: Live Goats' Legs Cut Off
With Tree Trimmers. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.peta.org.
Society of Toxicology. (2009). Animals in Research. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from http://www.toxicology.org/ai/air/AIR_final.pdf.
Tremayne-Lloyd, Tracey, and Srebrolow, Gary. (2007). Research ethics approval for human and animal experimentation: Consequences of failing to obtain approval -- including legal and professional liability. Journal of Canadian Chiropractic Association, 51(1), 56-60.
