Animals have played a crucial role in every major medical advancement in the last 100 years. While it is true that some studies in the past involved animal cruelty, research conducted in the last 50 years has relied on the three Rs--refinement of tests so animal distress or pain is minimal, reduction of the number of animals used in one particular study, and replacement, whenever possible, of animal experiments with non-animal experiments.

Scientists have a vested interest in avoiding any type of animal cruelty. Research result validity depends on good animal care, so scientists have an obligation to use only healthy, stress-free animals. The process for obtaining research grants also discourages scientists from practicing animal cruelty. Research grant requests submitted to the National Institutes of Health go through an extensive and rigorous review process so any possible duplicative or pointless animal research has little chance of receiving support.

Government regulations discourage animal cruelty in research also. Scientific studies involving animals are governed by the Animal Welfare Act, which requires all registered animal research facilities to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The IACUC makes sure that all applicable regulations and guidelines are followed and that the procedures involve no animal cruelty. Research scientists must explain why it is necessary to use animals, and they must assure the IACUC that they will minimalize discomfort or pain and administer humane care.

By law, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is required to conduct at least one unannounced inspection of every registered research facility each year to look for possible acts of animal cruelty. Research institutions found in violation of the Animal Welfare Act and other protocols can be fined or have their projects terminated. Fortunately, according to USDA records, 94% of animals used in biomedical research experience either no pain or slight momentary pain, or they receive anesthesia and postoperative painkillers.

Most companies and scientists in the research community have taken and continue to take great steps to avoid animal cruelty. Research acceptance and funding relies heavily on producing valid results and that means the researchers must take care of the animals in their facilities. It would be counterintuitive for researchers to mistreat the animals they rely on because it could skew results or put them at risk for loss of funding.