Why are increasing numbers of animals being sacrificed for research each year?
Actually, the number of animals used in research has decreased in the past 20 to 25 years. Estimates for the reduction in the overall use of animals in research range from 20% to 50%. The number of dogs used in biomedical research has declined 67%, and the number of cats used in biomedical research has declined 63% since 1973. One of the primary reasons for this decline is the creation of computer programs and other research methods that are scientifically valid alternatives to animal research. However, there are still vital areas of biomedical research for which these other research methods are unable to replace living organisms.
