Research on Animals and Its Benefits

The following is in response to the letter by Jacque Kenner (May 18):

I am sorry to be the one to blast Kenner’s head out of the sand, but it is more than likely that her life is owed to “the death and suffering of thousands of animals.” Has she never been vaccinated? Has she never taken any medicine? Had surgery?

Well, guess how all those things came to be? Just in terms of medications, years and years of precise animal research has been carried out just to make sure that that remedy you are buying will not kill you when you use it.

Before the anesthesiologist puts you to sleep so that you feel no pain when the surgeon operates, years and years of animal research were done to make sure that that anesthetic and that surgical procedure will cure you rather than kill you.

Another point that no one seems to address is the thousands of animals who are able to live quality lives because of other animals used in research.

Veterinarians can now be found in every specialty from ophthalmology to cardiology, and the drugs and methods they are using on animals most likely evolved from research with animals.

Each time I take one of my dogs to the veterinarian I am thankful for the medications and treatments available to them, which would not exist except for animal research.

DIANNE CANTOR

Fountain Valley