When Science States the Obvious
By Dustin Garrett Rhodes
When the New York Times reports that there’s a new study turning monkeys into couch potatoes, in an effort to study the link between obesity and diabetes, my first reaction is: duh!, of course being an over-eating couch potato is unhealthy. But as an animal advocate, it’s hard not to wonder: how on earth is this science, or ethical, in the 21st Century?
The fact that primates—our closest relative—are used is not the only reason I am disturbed; it’s the fact that any non-human animal at all is used. The only way to know the effects of diet and exercise (or lack thereof) on the health of humans is to study humans—not primates.
Friends of Animals manages a sanctuary in San Antonio, Texas—Primarily Primates—that is home to many primates who were the victims of the vivisection industry. Some of them still bear the literal tattoos and emotional scars—and that’s not to mention all the things you can’t see: the damaged livers and kidneys; the loss of autonomy; the fact that they were removed from their natural habitats, the families from which they were removed.
It’s a blessing that these animals ended up at Primarily Primates; many, if not most, of the animals used by researchers end up dead. Primarily Primates, day in and day out, works hard to provide the best life possible for these animals, in as natural a setting as possible; they are allowed, often for the first time in their lives, to be the chimpanzees, gibbons, spider monkeys, macaques, baboons, etc., they were born to be. And that’s quite beautiful. [Here are some fabulous videos of animals at the sanctuary.]
But the day when animals are no longer imprisoned, poked and prodded, and systematically destroyed in the name of “science” can’t come too soon.
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3 Comments
On February 26, 2011, dave wrote:
Dustin i agree with you 100%, it makes no sence testing on animals period, yet for such stupid things like this, if your looking for a cure for humans , use humans, i just had some air head call me to rent one of my properties for her daughter,she told me her daughter did animal testing and receives a lot of threats against her and has a pit bull to protect her and would i be ok with that. first i laughed at her, and told her she had a better chance of seeing god,and suggested she have some testing done on her daughter,she hung the phone up on me,the hell with her, at least she got the point, being an idiot is unacceptable and her daughter is not helping anybody by performing tests on animals.
On February 28, 2011, Dustin Rhodes, Friends of Animals wrote:
Hi Dave,
I hate it that animal activists would make threats against someone, although — trust me — I find the whole thing repugnant.
That said, I am glad you stuck up for the animals.
Cheers,
Dustin
On February 28, 2011, Peter Chlebogiannis wrote:
I totally agree, when it comes to testing on animals there is no good excuse. The big companies say it for the good of man kind, but if they are so passionate about helping the human race through research why don’t they lie down on the table and get tested on themselves. The answer is because they don’t care, they say their helping humans but really that’s just their excuse not to have to pay human test-subjects as well as satisfy their sadistic needs, in my opinion all these people who test on animals are despicable.
good job dustin, dave and friendsofanimal.org
Peter Chlebogiannis 14 years old