Towson University

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I grew up on a farm and the farm animals were my friends. I think that is what inspired me to become a veterinarian. I have always loved animals. As I grew up, I became completely aware of animals and how they are used and abused in our society. Once I realized how many animals I was eating, I quickly turned vegetarian, and I have never believed in wearing animal hides or fur at all. It is completely unnecessary in this world where synthetic products are available for purchase and for wear. I think that it initially what drew me towards PETA. PETA in case you didn't know is an organization that is for animal rights and stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This group believes what I believe and that is that we don't have the right to mistreat, abuse, or misuse animals in anyway. That includes not eating them, not wearing them, and not using any products that have been tested on animals. PETA is pushing the use of cruelty free products and is trying to put an end to and stop animal testing. I believe that the key to stop animal testing is to further educate the public about the horrific existence that is suffered by animals in testing labs throughout the country and all over the world. Although more and more companies are finding alternative ways to test their products, many more companies are still testing on animals. For instance, household products companies and cosmetics companies are still forcing animals to ingest large quantities of their products, squirt them in their eyes, force animals to inhale aerosol sprays and so forth. Even charitable organizations use money from private donations to fund experiments on animals, for instance the March Of Dimes. The truth is the Federal Government is no better, as the FDA still requires all drugs be tested on animals. Many would argue that this is a good way to see if a drug is safe for human consumption, however, the bottom line is that animals DNA varies significantly from that of humans, and this makes the tests that are being run on these animals, unreliable and dangerous. There are many other options that are much more humane, are less expensive, and are much more accurate. For instance research can be done on cell cultures, computer models and even human studies which prove to be better sources of data anyway.

Please let us all move toward stopping the inhumane treatment of animals and move toward an environment in which all creatures are treated equally and with respect.