Expert: Tina Volpe - 3/29/2009

Question
Hello, I am a middle school student working on a research project.For my topic i decided to do animal testing. One of the requirements of this report is to interview a person using email. I was wondering if i could ask you or a representative a few questions and interview for my report, since your such a big expert with animals.

1. Do you believe animal testing is necessary?

2. Do you believe animal research has provided information that has been reliable?

3. Do you believe animals are not on the same level of life importance than humans?

4. Has there been any problems with animal testing before? If so, what?

5. Do you believe that the alternatives, such as stem cell research, are effective?

6. If animal experimentation were banned, what would happen to the human race?

7. Are you for or against animal testing? why?

8. How are animals treated where they are tested?

9. Do you believe animal testing will continue to exist, or someday stop? If so when?

10. What rules are there to protect animals from cruel experimentations?

Thank-you for your time


Answer
Hello Sam,

What I am going to give you below is personal experience through research I have done.  I am in no way an expert in animal testing.  Ask me anything about factory farming, and animals raised for food and I will claim expert.  

1. Do you believe animal testing is necessary?

Absolutely not.  Anatomies are different and testing on animals is not only cruel, but worthless.  

2. Do you believe animal research has provided information that has been reliable?

No - they have performed tests on animals only to kill the animal and have it not affect the human.

3. Do you believe animals are not on the same level of life importance than humans?

No, I believe they are here for their own purpose, not for us to use, test on, eat or wear as we see fit.  I believe we should not be killing anything as it only leads to further violence.

4. Has there been any problems with animal testing before? If so, what?

I have no idea.

5. Do you believe that the alternatives, such as stem cell research, are effective?

I have no idea.

6. If animal experimentation were banned, what would happen to the human race?

I have no idea, but I would hope that we would find another way.


7. Are you for or against animal testing? why?
Completely against, please see the answer to #3.

8. How are animals treated where they are tested?

See: http://www.vivisectioninfo.org

9. Do you believe animal testing will continue to exist, or someday stop? If so when?

I hope that it stops but this is a huge battle.  

10. What rules are there to protect animals from cruel experimentations?

See the vivisection link, it will explain laws, etc.

Thanks,
Tina Volpe