Does public opinion of animal research remain the same, regardless of the pain and distress the animals experience?
Opinion polls demonstrate that public support for animal research drastically declines when the animals experience pain and distress—even if there is the potential for human benefit. Please see page 7 at “Taking Animal Welfare Seriously” for additional information. The HSUS understands that some research on animals has benefited humans. However, not nearly enough attention or funding is put into finding alternatives to animal use, including those that will reduce the number of animals used, refine the research so that it causes less pain and distress, and replace the use of animals altogether. The ongoing reliance on animals must be questioned and challenged. The HSUS urges funding agencies as well as public and private biomedical research laboratories to place more resources into alternative methods.
