The Other Side

There are approximately 56-100 million cats and 54 million dogs in the United States. It is estimated that 2,000 cats and 3,500 dogs are born every hour. There are an estimated 15 million dogs and cats that are put to death in pounds and shelters each year. These cats and dogs are put to their death for the lone reason that the pounds and shelters are overcrowded. Approximately 17-22 million animals are used in research laboratory's each year. That is just about 5 million more animals put to death in labs than are put to death in shelters. Maybe these animal rights activist should be protesting the pounds. Tested animals are at least being put to death for a reasonable purpose. A purpose which serves animals and humans both better than making room for the others. The replacing animals will eventually end up on the other side of the fence anyway. It Seems like an endless circle of death. Some of the lab cats and dogs are from pounds and shelters anyway. But this amount is far too few.  Many people who are against animal testing do not realize that only 17-22 million animals are used for lab research annually. But there are approximately 5 billion animals consumed for food annually. Maybe these are the same people who wear leather and fur coats. (#1) Animal testing has contributed a great deal to both animals and humans. Albert Sabin, the developer of oral polio vaccine stated: "Without the use of animals and human beings, it would have been impossible to acquire the important knowledge needed to prevent much suffering and premature death not only among humans, but also among animals." Experimentation on animals was essential to the development of Dr. Sabin's oral polio vaccine, which has virtually eradicated poliomyelitis in the Western Hemisphere, saved over 500,000 lives, and millions from the debilitating effects of polio. The transplantation of major organs, and many other surgical techniques, depends on the ability to join blood vessels. Alexis Carrel using cats and dogs developed an effective method, and for this he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1912. Today transplants are far more common than in his day. Even on the back of one's drivers license there is a organ donor program portion to fill out. Which means one can give their organs to a hospital for transplant. (#2)