esting to find the potency or poison level of a certain chemical, is using cell cultures, bacteria, or fertilized chicken or frog embryos (Wil 86). Certain microorganisms react a lot alike to how animals would in the same tests. Another alternative is using tissue samples from humans or animals. This is also effective on the toxicology testing method (Dol 39). However, no alternatives are as effective as animals. Yes, there are cell and tissue cultures or computer models, but to conclude any kind of testing, even in toxicology, one needs a living system to know the physical and mental reaction that is portrayed out. Even if an experiment is successful in non-animal testing, the results have to be validated on a living system such as an animal. The reason a living system is necessary is because scientists need to observe the reactions not to single cells but to organs and organ systems which are much more complex than a tissue or cell culture. Even though there have been some breakthroughs for non-animal testing, they are only useful in a few types of researching (Wil 67). Animals are absolutely necessary to use for testing because of the many critical steps that can only be taken if used in a complex living system (107). Also, only ten percent of the animals used in testing are usually cats, dogs, or primates. These animals are not chosen to be tested on because they are easy to obtain all throughout America, but because they are essential for certain types of research. For example, cats are important tools for research because they provide vital studies of vision, hearing, and brain functioning that help scientists understand these systems in humans. Dogs also are useful in the area of cardiovascular system research as well as further understanding diseases in the heart and arteries in the human. Primates are also one of the most important tools to scientists because their genetic makeup is very close to a humans gene stru...
