The neatly packaged products on shelves in grocery and other retail stores — from glittering cosmetics to pristinely labeled prescriptions — have a dark history.
To get into your hands, due to antiquated and inherently cruel procedures required by the Food and Drug Administration, they had to first be tested on nonhuman animals.
The labels don’t show that animal testing kills. The labels also don’t show that more than 90% of drugs and vaccines fail in human clinical trials, despite showing signs of safety in traditional nonhuman animal-based tests, due to significant differences in our genetic makeup.
Meanwhile, an estimated 25 million to 100 million animals die each year in testing in the United States alone. Mice and rats are most commonly exploited for research. But dogs, cats, monkeys, pigs, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, bats, and tons of other species are tortured and exterminated in U.S. labs every year, too.
Here are 10 disturbing facts about animal testing facts, animal testing laws you should know, and steps you can take to help stop animal testing.
10 Disturbing Animal Testing Facts
1. More than 100 million animals are exploited in testing every year
Nearly 800,000 animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) — including dogs, cats, pigs, sheep, monkeys, rabbits, and others — endured regulated animal testing in the United States in 2018, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
But not all animals are covered under the AWA, including mice and rats– the animals most frequently experimented on in U.S. labs. Because these rodents don’t classify as “animals” under existing laws, labs don’t have to report how many they use each year — making it impossible to know the true extent of animal testing in this country.
It’s estimated that more than 115 million animals endure animal testing around the world every year, according to Humane Society International.
With stricter animal testing laws and regulations that require more transparency or a shift to more accurate, human-biology based testing methods, we can help stop cruel animal testing in the United States.
2. The United States doesn’t label farm animals, mice, rats, reptiles, fish, or birds as ‘animals’
Accurate animal testing facts — like how many animals are killed every year in U.S. labs — are impossible to find because existing law does not classify mice, rats, birds, farm animals raised for food, or cold-blooded animals like reptiles and most fish as “animals.”
So, what exactly is an animal under the AWA?
“The term ‘animal’ means any live or dead dog, cat, monkey (nonhuman primate mammal), guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or such other warm-blooded animal,” the act reads. “But such term excludes (1) birds, rats of the genus Rattus, and mice of the genus Mus, bred for use in research, (2) horses not used for research purposes, and (3) other farm animals, such as, but not limited to livestock or poultry.”
These classifications are arbitrary and lack scientific merit. All of these animals have proven their sentience time and time again. They have complex emotions and feel pain.
Scientific studies have shown that rats show empathy for other rats by reading pain in their faces. Pigs are highly social and love to play with other animals. Chickens can recognize and remember up to 30 other individual chickens; and fish form friendships and experience positive and negative emotions.
Animal testing must stop. These highly intelligent and sentient creatures deserve protection under animal testing laws, and all animals deserve a life free of pain and captivity.
3. About 20 percent of ‘animals’ tested in the United States are dogs, cats, or monkeys
Of the test subjects that the AWA considers “animals,” about 20 percent tested in the United States are dogs, cats, or monkeys. That’s about 150,000 dogs, cats, and monkeys exploited for research every year.
Additionally, U.S. labs exploit more than 620,000 guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, pigs, sheep and “other covered species” each year.
These numbers exclude the more than 100,000 animals held captive in research facilities that are not involved in research studies — as well as the estimated nearly 100 million animals not considered “animals” under the AWA’s animal testing laws.
4. More than 95% of products that pass ‘important’ animal tests fail to proceed to the market
More than 95% of products that pass “important” animal tests fail to proceed to the market due to complications in humans, according to that National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Those high fail rates are more than just a waste of animals’ lives and sacrifices. Every time a drug or treatment fails in human trials, an estimated 14 years and $2 billion of taxpayer dollars are wasted.
Dr. Lawrence Hansen, a professor of neuroscience and pathology at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine, wrote in the San Diego Union-Tribute, that animal testing is unnecessary.
“Experiments on dogs aren’t scientifically ‘necessary, especially when we have superior research technologies like human organs-on-chips to model diseases and test drugs,” Hansen wrote. “From a scientific perspective, the problem is that dogs, monkeys, and mice are not simplified versions of humans.”
Sadly, animal testing laws don’t mirror this reality. Until the facts about animal testing facts triumph over the faulty, old-school medical norms, animal testing will not be stopped and millions of animals will continue to needlessly die every year in U.S. labs.
5. Animals are gassed, decapitated, shot, and electrocuted after tests are over
Offering up millions of injured mice, rabbits, dogs, and cats for adoption just isn’t practical. So, they’re killed.
Animal testing facts don’t get any more sadistic than this: Once animals are no longer required for testing purposes, they’re gassed, decapitated, shot, or electrocuted and thrown away like garbage.
Some animals are killed before they’re even used in tests, deemed to be a “surplus” from animal breeding for experiments.
Until animal testing laws require complete transparency about all animals used and killed for testing purposes, animals will continue to suffer in silence.
6. Scientists choose docile, trusting animals — including beagles and Labradors– for their tests
Scientists who test on animals often choose docile, friendly species less likely to fight back against painful, invasive procedures.
A favorite among medical researchers: dogs.
Beagles, in particular, become victims of experiments given their friendly and docile demeanors.
“The dog has long been a favorite animal in medical research, partly because of its size and docility, but also because of the availability of large numbers of stray and unwanted dogs at low cost,” Allen C. Anderson and Loraine S. Good wrote in The Beagle as an Experiment Dog. “The chief advantages of the beagle are its relative hardiness and short hair, which make for easy care, and an extreme degree of nonaggressiveness which makes these dogs easy to handle with a minimum amount of human socialization and previous training.”
Labradors also are primarily used in orthopedic research, according to Robert C. Dysko in Laboratory Animal Management: Dogs.
Although there are laws about how researchers can experiment on dogs, there are not currently any animal testing laws against experimenting on dogs.
Animal testing on dogs must stop. These helpless creatures are our friends and family members. They trust us, and we are betraying them.
7. Dogs used in experiments can legally live in a cage their entire lives
According to animal testing laws, dogs can legally live in a cage for their entire lives at animal testing facilities, with only a few minor requirements.
“Each dog housed in a primary enclosure (including weaned puppies) must be provided a minimum amount of floor space, calculated as follows,” the law reads. “Find the mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches (measured from the tip of the nose to the base of its tail) plus 6 inches; then divide the product by 144. The calculation is: (length of dog in inches + 6) x (length of dog in inches + 6) = required floor space in square inches. Required floor space in inches/144 = required floor space in square feet.”
According to those standards, a 20-inch beagle is only required to have an enclosure slightly under 5 square feet. In comparison, a standard queen-size mattress is about 33 square feet.
That’s right — a beagle is required to live in a cage less than 1/6th the size of a queen-sized mattress. Dogs also are only required to get regular exercise if they’re kept in a space less than two times the size of the recommended space requirements mentioned above.
These horrific living conditions show how insufficient animal testing laws are right now.
8. Cats have their spines severed and electrodes implanted through invasive surgeries to study constipation
Cats as young as six months old have their spines severed and electrodes implanted to stimulate their bladders and colons during tests to study constipation, according to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request received by nonprofit organization White Coat Waste Project.
Otherwise healthy cats are cut into, implanted with electrodes, and forced to ingest artificial stool made from bran, potato flour, and saline. After the experiments are over, researchers kill and dissect the cats.
This is government-sanctioned animal torture; all of this “research” is performed using taxpayers’ money.
We must stop animal testing to save innocent cats from enduring such a miserable fate again.
9. Aspirin wouldn’t pass a majority of animal tests and was never tested on animals
One of the most popular over-the-counter drugs in the United States wouldn’t pass a majority of animal tests and was never tested on animals. Aspirin is completely safe for human consumption, semi-toxic to dogs, and completely toxic to cats.
“Cats are extremely sensitive to aspirin,” Ed Yong wrote on National Geographic. “Even a single extra-strength pill can trigger a fatal overdose.
“The problem is that cats can’t break down the drug effectively,” he continued. “This defect is unusual — humans clearly don’t suffer from it, and neither do dogs. All cats, however, seem to share the same problem, from house tabbies to African lions.”
This example clearly shows how separate species react radically differently to seemingly safe medicines and treatments. There is simply no foolproof way to know how a drug or treatment will react in one species based on evidence from another species.
10. Vioxx tested safe on monkeys and ended up causing more 100,000 heart attacks and 60,000 deaths around the world
After passing at least eight animal tests, Vioxx — a selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug developed by Merck in 1999 — killed an estimated 60,000 Americans and up to 140,000 people worldwide.
As bad as the Vioxx case is, it isn’t an isolated incident.
“Vioxx is a severe case, but by no means unique, as re-labeling and recall rates indicate,” Dr. Jonathan Balcombe wrote in Psychology Today.
What Animal Testing Laws Regulate Cruelty to Animals?
Unfortunately, there are currently no animal testing laws or regulations in the United States that prohibit companies from saying their products are cruelty-free when they’re, in fact, not, according to Leaping Bunny.
For example, a product can say it is cruelty-free and “not tested on animals” even if animal tests are happening at the ingredient level (where most animal tests occur). Companies can also say they don’t test on animals even if they’re employing other companies to do the animal testing for them.
There are a few regulatory bodies and laws that control how certain animals are treated at research facilities and during testing, but in general, animal testing laws are severely inadequate.
Animal Welfare Act (AWA)
The AWA is the only federal law that regulates the treatment of animals in research, and it fails to account for the vast majority of animal testing: refusing protections to mice, rats, reptiles, fish, other cold-blooded animals, and farm animals.
The protections given to less than 5% of animals used in experiments are also inadequate. Dogs are only required to have cages barely big enough for them to turn around, and they’re legally allowed to live in captivity for their entire lives.
Animal testing laws provide little to no protection for the hundreds of millions of animals that suffer in laboratories every year around the world, and the AWA is in desperate need of an overhaul in the United States.
Public Health Service (PHS)
The PHS oversees two of the largest federal agencies testing on animals in the United States: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unfortunately, the oversight is lackadaisical, and the organization’s Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals is rarely enforced.
There is no mandated follow-up or on-site inspection when a facility breaks the rules provided by the PHS, and the agency only requires facilities to write-in to the Office of Laboratory Welfare (OLAW) that they’ve been compliant with regulations.
Animal testing laws, even the few that the United States does provide to facilities, are pointless without real regulation and enforcement.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
The USDA is in charge of overseeing and inspecting laboratories that experiment on animals. But as of their last report, the agency announced they have only 120 inspectors for more than 12,000 facilities. They’re also responsible for overseeing zoos, circuses, dog breeders, and more.
It just isn’t reasonable to expect an agency of this size to responsibly regulate animal testing. And even when violations do occur, the penalties are relatively minor.
How Can I Help Stop Animal Testing?
It’s time to stop animal testing for good. Here are a few ways you can help in the fight against cruel animal experimentation:
Buy Cruelty-Free Products
Avoiding products tested on animals is one of the easiest ways to help stop animal testing for good. But how can you tell if a product is cruelty-free or not?
To ensure you’re buying cruelty-free products, look for the Leaping Bunny certification on each product (not just any bunny logo will do), or check out their shopping guide here.
There are apps that can help while you’re shopping, too. Cruelty Cutter can be used to scan a product and the app will tell you if it is cruelty-free or not.
Happy shopping!
Donate to Charities That Care
Charities like Lady Freethinker are constantly fighting against animal abuse, including cruel and unnecessary animal testing. Much like the agencies that are expected to oversee the facilities that test on animals, funding is a major concern.
With additional funding, charities can dedicate more time and resources to fighting back against animal experimentation. Animal testing laws will never change without constant pressure from all of us. Donate today to help stop animal testing for good.
Sign Petitions Against Animal Testing
There are plenty of petitions against animal testing, and adding your voice can make a huge difference. When we stand together, agencies and policymakers have to listen.
Whenever you see a petition — like the one below — that supports a bill against animal experimentation, take a couple minutes to read and sign it.
Sign: Pass the Humane Cosmetics Act to Stop Cruel Animal Testing
Speak Out to Government Representatives
Legislation is the only way to regulate and outlaw animal experimentation. Speaking out to your government representatives to support anti-animal testing legislation could help stop animal testing for good.
Stay up-to-date on all the newly introduced bills, and continue to educate the public about how animal testing is not the most cost-effective, efficient, or safe way to validate the safety of drugs and treatments for humans.
Together, we can change animal testing laws for the better.

In reality, big laboratories and pharmaceutical companies will NEVER find a cure for most diseases….why, because if they did, they would stand to lose ALL THEIR FUNDING, all the MILLIONS of dollars that they receive every year so the ‘workers’ can carry on abusing, torturing, tormenting and killing animals and other species to satisfy their perverted pleasures in animal abuse, animal torture and animal blood-shed. The ‘workers’ are NOTHING but ugly-hearted, emotionless, brain-dead, gutless, soul-less animal abusers in disguise. How they can sleep at night and look in the mirror and like what they see is beyond my comprehension, I can NEVER understand how they can deliberately and purposely be so cruel, brutal and totally uncaring towards these innocent animals.
Why do we do that to our best friends
& companions?
What are these stupid
test for? Cosmetics! Switch to cosmetics that are done without testing on animals. We do not have to rub harmful substances into the eyes of animals to see that they become red and painful. There is no point. I you are allergic. Do not use cosmetics they are anyway non essentiell!
EVERY PERSON WHO DOES TESTING ON ANIMALS MUST GET THE SAME TESTING DONE TO THEM…THEN THEY GO TO JAIL FOREVER! JERKS!!!
Stop this madness, no need to be so cruel
Please please FEED ALL ANIMAL ABUSERS TO THE LIONS SHARKS OR CROCS. ONLY WAY WE WILL STOP THESE HORRIFIC CRIMES TOWARDS ANIMALS AND CHILDREN. LAWS WORLD WIDE….LET THE ANIMALS SORT THEM OUT!!!!!!
Please please FEED ALL ANIMAL ABUSERS TO THE LIONS SHARKS OR CROCS. ONLY WAY WE WILL STOP THESE HORRIFIC CRIMES TOWARDS ANIMALS AND CHILDREN. LAWS WORLD WIDE….LET THE ANIMALS SORT THEM OUT!!!!!!
Animal testing is archaic, cruel, and unnecessary as it needed to be stopped years ago.
stop animal cruelty NOW
Stop using animals as test subjects.
Please shop with care: several animal charities have ‘cruelty free shopping ‘ lists. Boycott companies which test on animals and it’s important to tell them why.
Please shop with care: several animal charities have ‘cruelty free shopping ‘ lists. Boycott companies which test on animals and it’s important to tell them why.
Thank you for posting this; so many people who respect animals are unaware that they are supporting this LEGAL abuse. The AWA is a joke – it doesn’t consider animals as being animals. If in doubt whether your lipstick, laundry detergent, deoderant, etc. is being cruelly tested on animals, just Google PeTA. They have all the resources you need to make life or death decisions for the sentient beings that are imprisoned in this vile practice of cruelty to animals “in the name of science”.
And please never forget, YOUR taxpayer dollars are paying for all of this suffering.
Please continue the testing but on the human TRASH that have been conducting these experiments. Please call me so I can place a bolt through their eyes or acid on their bodies. Please pray with me that their souls ROT in HELL. Garbage human beings!
testing and cruelty to animals is nothing but barbaric and needless.
YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO PUT ANY ANIMAL THROUGH THAT ! TRY TESTING ON THE SCUM ON DEATH ROW! Then you would have your results.
Eliminate these agencies that require animal TORTURE!!
It is so sad to see all the torture humans do to animals, I think humans are monsters who do not understand that the animals feel like we do.
Cruelty needs to be abolished
Animal testing animal trophy hunting and poaching shot trapped
Caging
Mistreatment beatings starvation poor conditions
Loss of their habitat
Used for medicines in China and furniture body products and necklaces and clothes
Torn apart
Made to fight other animals
Left with painful and fatal injuries
Left without water
Made to live in golfers
Made to entertain
Used for hat feathers
Injected with poisonous or harmful
tests
Mutated
Terrible illegal breeding
Made to overtly breed profit
No sea food left for other sea life and birds
Tangled in net and swallowing plastics
Shot for ivory
Made to do tricks
Put in small tanks
Taken away from their mothers
Broken and beaten
Over worked carrying too much
Left in hot weather no protection
Left in the cold
Killed for wet markets
Declawed and sharp teeth taken away
Soaked in oil
Building on their territory
Killed for going on their own territory because people are greedy.
Baby farm animals used as meat didn’t evend get a chance to live
Born in industrial farming seeing no daylight, beaten chucked about stamper on pulled from their mom’s,
Moms beaten crying for their babies left in poor condition in gages where they can’t move.
Us having all the milk leaving their babies with none.
Trees cut down by the millions
Boats and ships being used constantly knocking into whales and killing them
Seals baltered
Loss of creatures
Artic melting leaving polar bears with no where to go
Everybody using central heating in their homes causing us to use more gas.
Bush fire burning kaula bears and kangeroos joeys and cattle
AMason forest being chopped for profit and set fire to leaving more animals to die and nowhere to go
We don’t deserve nature
We have destroyed this planet we have lost many species due to selfishness and greed many are endangered governments need to step up and do something
We’re even losing bees
Had enough of animal testing now. Why cant these vile experimenters see that to experiment on an animal is not the same as experimenting on a human. They wont get the same results! Why dont they experiment on prisoners on death row for a start!!!!!
I buy nothing that has used animal’s for testing, nor do I buy any fur products of any kind.
Most of my family and friends have the same beliefs as I do.
Just stop this cruel and barbaric testing. If you need test subjects use people. leave these innocent animals alone !
These animals are better off dead.
I am horrified by looking at these pictures. Will this ever end.
Il faut taper haut et fort ! Envoyez vos articles à Mr Macron.
These people who do animal testing need to be tested on MF
agree.
all animal abusers must be heavily fined & long time jailed. the world must demand an end to animal abuse & cruelty. PLEASE, PEOPLE, BUY ONLY PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS!
OMG that is horrible, what they r doing 2 animals. They have a heart, they bleed, they feel. Same as us. Needs 2 stop
I read carefully the labels and google all products that are animal tested before I buy anything at all. It take some time to achieve but in the end, Its little work to me that goes a long way to helping tortured animals in this forsaken era of forgotten humanity.
I’m no fan of animal testing, but the tests do not fail 95% of the time. The human/animal concordance rate is a tightly-clustered average of 86% and the other non-human tests like organs on a chip are used alongside animals with each providing a part of the puzzle. Most drugs give up development because these tests show them to be dangerous or for commercial reasons.
Of the tiny number that aren’t dangerous or unprofitable, lots do later turn out to be ineffective and a smaller number dangerous and my research is trying to spot what factors will ultimately sink a drug candidate before any like of lab, animal or human testing is attempting. The technology to do that doesn’t exist yet, which is why some of us are trying so hard to develop it. Pretending it already exists really doesn’t help me get funding and ruling out animal tests before we have a better way just means they’ll test on people in poor countries again. Please research what you’re writing and don’t just believe pressure groups.