Animal Experimentation

The United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency surveyed people about cloned animals and the prospect of products originating from these animals entering the food chain. The key concerns included whether or not food from clones would be safe to eat, animal welfare standards, the lack of tangible consumer benefits, and lack of trust in key players involved.

Hosted by the Center for Genetics and Society, this compilation presents a summary of public opinion about pet and animal cloning from various sources including Gallup, Time/CNN, FOX News, etc. Overall, a majority of the U.S. public opposes the cloning of companion animals.

This report from the American Anti-Vivisection Society is based on interviews with 1,008 adults, with results showing that the majority of Americans are opposed to the cloning of companion animals and the sale of genetically engineered animals as pets.

According to Gallup's 2008 Values and Belief's Survey, there were no significant changes in U.S. public opinion from last year's survey for the following animal issues: medical testing on animals; cloning animals; and fur clothing. However, when compared with 2001 data, fewer people today think medical testing on animals and wearing animal fur are "morally acceptable."

The field of animal biotechnology has been rapidly expanding and the development of transgenic animals has been part of this research expansion. How the public perceives such developments is an important component of policy considerations... While general awareness of biotechnology and its specific applications remains low to moderate, this article presents data regarding public acceptance of a variety of applications. These range from the use of animals as disease models and as sources for tissues and organs, to the use of transgenic animals for disease control, for food, and for the production of pharmaceutical and industrial products. [Excerpted from report]

This study by a Canadian member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees found that more than half of the Asian primate research studies conducted in 2001 involved non-invasive behavioral or ecological research. The articles also provides a brief description of animal experimentation and the ethical arguments against it

This study focuses on consumers' expectations for American companies and how their perceptions can influence purchasing, employment, and investment decisions. The results show that corporate responsibility has a significant impact on consumer purchase decisions, as well as employee loyalty.

According to a report from MatTek, a company that produces alternatives to animal testing, a test method derived from cultured human skin cells is more accurate than animal testing for the identification of skin irritants.

This article summarizes two opinion polls conducted in early 2008 about the use of human-animal embryos in the United Kingdom, with both surveys finding the majority of respondents opposed to the concept.