I recently learned about some large scale animal testing / cloning that is right out of a science fiction book. It involves splicing genes into DNA from two different classifications of animals, which then produce specific proteins that have to be extracted from the animals and then mixed … and what it produced is nothing short of absolutely miraculous. But at what cost? Every male animal is killed at birth. All other animals are killed and incinerated as soon as their usefulness is over – incinerated, because the recombined DNA cannot be allowed to get into the environment in any way, shape, or form.
Another experiment they do there produces dozens and dozens of animals with specific diseases that are then shipped off to medical schools; all so that cures for humans can be found.
It is an ethical mess for me and honestly wish I didn't know.
I am here, on this planet, writing this blog post, because someone, somewhere figured out that this chemical cocktail mix of poisons would be just enough to kill the cancer, but not so much to kill the person. And you can bet that they didn't come to that conclusion by trying it out on people first. So what am I to say about all this? I am alive because thousands of innocent animals died. And probably suffered immensely.
When I was a kid, I read a book about animal testing, and it scarred me for life. I would get images from the book in my head years later and pray God would make me forget.
But, as I often tell people, you can't un-know something that you now know.
This is actually true with a lot of things.
Once you've learned how to ride a bike, unless there's brain damage, generally, that sticks with you.
Once you've learned that you can stand up to a bully, usually the intimidation spell has been broken.
When a dog bites you hard, it's difficult to trust again. Same with a spouse who strikes you or lies or steps out on you … that's pretty impossible to "un know."
I now am aware of the location where this testing is occurring. It has marred my bucholic view of the place. I wish I was still ignorant.