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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2014/jun/05/animal-research-cuteness-kittens
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Animal research can be justified – but 'cuteness' is irrelevant | Animal research can be justified – but 'cuteness' is irrelevant |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| I once lost a debate with an animal rights activist. As a | I once lost a debate with an animal rights activist. As a |
| medical researcher who has been actively involved in experiments on rodents, | medical researcher who has been actively involved in experiments on rodents, |
| this may come as a surprise to some. I lost the debate because once debates | this may come as a surprise to some. I lost the debate because once debates |
| about the use of animals in medical research pass the facts, the stringent Home Office protocols in place to "Replace, Reduce and Refine" and the genuine | about the use of animals in medical research pass the facts, the stringent Home Office protocols in place to "Replace, Reduce and Refine" and the genuine |
| care and respect for animals that animal researchers tend to have, they | care and respect for animals that animal researchers tend to have, they |
| inevitably reach the point of the intrinsic worth of one creature over another. | inevitably reach the point of the intrinsic worth of one creature over another. |
| This is when my armamentarium of facts about animal research become null and | This is when my armamentarium of facts about animal research become null and |
| void. By this point, any hypothetical questions | void. By this point, any hypothetical questions |
| such as "if you had to choose one creature to die, a mouse or a little girl, | such as "if you had to choose one creature to die, a mouse or a little girl, |
| which would you choose?" become incredibly arrogant. After all, some of the | which would you choose?" become incredibly arrogant. After all, some of the |
| greatest thinkers in history have asserted the sanctity of all sentient | greatest thinkers in history have asserted the sanctity of all sentient |
| creatures. It was Gandhi who said “the greatness of a nation and its moral | |
| progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” | progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” |
| The endless | The endless |
| philosophical debate about the sacredness of all sentient creatures is one that | philosophical debate about the sacredness of all sentient creatures is one that |
| must not be taken lightly. After all, on a Sunday afternoon, thousands of us | must not be taken lightly. After all, on a Sunday afternoon, thousands of us |
| choose the deliciousness over the cuteness of a lamb. Oh no. I just took it | choose the deliciousness over the cuteness of a lamb. Oh no. I just took it |
| lightly. Nonetheless, the approach taken by the recent Daily Mail article about | lightly. Nonetheless, the approach taken by the recent Daily Mail article about |
| the use of kittens in nine UK universities was not just ignorant, it was | the use of kittens in nine UK universities was not just ignorant, it was |
| blatantly irresponsible. | blatantly irresponsible. |
| The fact that the pictures used in the article were taken in | The fact that the pictures used in the article were taken in |
| Wisconsin is irrelevant. Its cluster-bomb approach providing honest | Wisconsin is irrelevant. Its cluster-bomb approach providing honest |
| descriptions of the various types of experiments that have taken place is | descriptions of the various types of experiments that have taken place is |
| effective, but also irrelevant to my argument. They even balance the article by | effective, but also irrelevant to my argument. They even balance the article by |
| providing honest quotes from some of the institutions in question. In | providing honest quotes from some of the institutions in question. In |
| University College London, Bristol University and Cardiff University, this | University College London, Bristol University and Cardiff University, this |
| research has not been carried out in years and a spokesperson for Cambridge | research has not been carried out in years and a spokesperson for Cambridge |
| University explained the importance of their research on “a small number of | University explained the importance of their research on “a small number of |
| cats” in the development of a potential new treatment for amblyopia. Not to | cats” in the development of a potential new treatment for amblyopia. Not to |
| mention that any British universities carrying out any such research on any | mention that any British universities carrying out any such research on any |
| creatures without stringent rules in place and prior Home Office approval would | creatures without stringent rules in place and prior Home Office approval would |
| be breaking the law. | be breaking the law. |
| All of this is still irrelevant. What matters is that it | All of this is still irrelevant. What matters is that it |
| is kittens! The epitome of infinite cuteness. The cornerstone of the whole | is kittens! The epitome of infinite cuteness. The cornerstone of the whole |
| internet. | internet. |
| The benefits of the use of animals in medical research are | The benefits of the use of animals in medical research are |
| obvious and quantifiable. From heart transplants, scans for improved prenatal | obvious and quantifiable. From heart transplants, scans for improved prenatal |
| diagnostic techniques, blood transfusions and anticoagulants to medication for | diagnostic techniques, blood transfusions and anticoagulants to medication for |
| high blood pressure, asthma and major depressive disease – most of us have | high blood pressure, asthma and major depressive disease – most of us have |
| benefited from the use of animals in some form. | benefited from the use of animals in some form. |
| To combine this simple fact | To combine this simple fact |
| with the importance of a moral compass, the logical conclusion to reach is to | with the importance of a moral compass, the logical conclusion to reach is to |
| 1) Replace the use of animals with | 1) Replace the use of animals with |
| alternative techniques or avoid the use of animals altogether when possible (my | alternative techniques or avoid the use of animals altogether when possible (my |
| gut reaction to the use of cats in medical research is "If you have an idea | gut reaction to the use of cats in medical research is "If you have an idea |
| that needs cats, get another idea") 2) Reduce | that needs cats, get another idea") 2) Reduce |
| the number of animals used to a minimum (modern techniques have reduced the | the number of animals used to a minimum (modern techniques have reduced the |
| number of animals used to obtain the same information by factors of hundreds in | number of animals used to obtain the same information by factors of hundreds in |
| some cases) and 3) Refine the way | some cases) and 3) Refine the way |
| experiments are carried out in order to minimise suffering (hence the ample | experiments are carried out in order to minimise suffering (hence the ample |
| training required for anaesthetic administration). | training required for anaesthetic administration). |
| The reality of the use of animals in scientific research is | The reality of the use of animals in scientific research is |
| one that when we dare to confront, we must do so with as much objectivity and | one that when we dare to confront, we must do so with as much objectivity and |
| open-mindedness as we can muster and as little emotive use of language as | open-mindedness as we can muster and as little emotive use of language as |
| possible. | possible. |
| Yes, animals are put under anaesthetic before plates are inserted | Yes, animals are put under anaesthetic before plates are inserted |
| into their skulls, just like many surgeons do to anaesthetised humans on a | into their skulls, just like many surgeons do to anaesthetised humans on a |
| daily basis. And one cannot reach the skull without incising the skin. So if we | daily basis. And one cannot reach the skull without incising the skin. So if we |
| trust the scientists and experts who dedicate their lives to deciphering the | trust the scientists and experts who dedicate their lives to deciphering the |
| intricacies and complexities of mammalian biology in order to provide us with | intricacies and complexities of mammalian biology in order to provide us with |
| the treatments and knowledge that we benefit from, those of us for whom the | the treatments and knowledge that we benefit from, those of us for whom the |
| aforementioned hypothetical question has an easy answer need to accept the | aforementioned hypothetical question has an easy answer need to accept the |
| whole weight of the moral dilemma that animal research bestows. And those of | whole weight of the moral dilemma that animal research bestows. And those of |
| you who would agonise over that decision, hats off to you. Seriously. | you who would agonise over that decision, hats off to you. Seriously. |
| Dr Obaro Evuarherhe is a postdoctoral behavioural neuroscientist interested in understanding episodic memory. He also plays the drums in a band, Glis Glis, with Suzi | Dr Obaro Evuarherhe is a postdoctoral behavioural neuroscientist interested in understanding episodic memory. He also plays the drums in a band, Glis Glis, with Suzi |