Genetic diseases can be studied because five generations of mice can be observed in one year. It would take 100 years to do this in humans. A federal law, the Animal Welfare Act, sets forth standards for the care and treatment of laboratory animals. All institutions must follow detailed requirements on anesthesia, pain control, and appropriate post-operative care. There is a manual of carefully monitored animal care followed by research workers.
Journals require that authors certify that the guidelines have been followed.
The animal care committee has non-medical citizen members, an ethicist, and veterinarians as well as researchers. Animals must be healthy before the study begins, unless bred for an abnormality. The veterinary care of research animals is equal to the care your pet receives from your local veterinarian. We treasure our pets, visit the zoo, and watch Wild America. Animal research is keeping our pets healthy.