From: "first last" <geneva80@mail.com>

To: <willis@mail.utexas.edu>

Subject: the beagle

Date: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 5:05 PM

 

I am an animal lover, especially beagles.  However, I would hope that your

organization would go after groups who are really abusing beagles: puppy

farms. Or what about all of those poor animals running loose in the city.

Perhaps your time would be better spent working at the ASPCA and educating

people about getting their animals fixed.  Yet, you probably don't support

that either because it is invasive, even though it prevents tbe unwanted

puppies from running wild and getting run over by cars. Seriously, fight a

battle worth fighting.  The use of this ONE dog prevents the use of probably

100 others.

 

I used to work in the ARC and I can guarantee you that those dogs are

babied.  And, since I worked there in the 90s, there are significantly fewer

beagles in that building.  Did you not understand that the ARC is doing

exactly what PETA has requested: using cell culture instead of whole

animals?!?!!?  Where did you guys think the cells came from: Mars?  You have

to start somewhere and you have to replentish the supply.

 

You really need to learn more about physiology before you go spouting off

about how we shouldn't do research on animals that are not like us.  You

make the animal researchers laugh out loud...and I laughed even louder when

I saw that you had a communications major.  I am so thankful that animal

research is being done: antibiotics have saved my life (think about that the

next time you take erythromycin!), cardiac research on dogs saved my fathers

life.  Yes, DOGS!  The dog heart is very similar to our own, that is why

they are used.

 

I personally do in vivo work with rats.  Why rats?  because their nervous

systems are very similar to ours.  The physiology is nearly the same

(probably a few modulators here and there that are different), and the basic

principles *are* the same, the neuroanatomy is very similar.  In fact, the

animal research I did may lead to a way to prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:

the most common known cause of mental retardation in the US.  Just imagine,

I could prevent children from suffering this horrible plight.

 

Nearly every major medical advance relied on animal research at some point

in its creation.  People would not live the lives they have without animal

research, whether you like it or not.  Every drug you take, even aspirin.

 

Seriously, animal researchers DO care about their animals.  A sick animal is

not a good subject.  We are not animal haters.  We go out of our way to make

sure they are fed, watered, and happy...heck some of those rats become pets!

 

I am sure you won't listen to reason, you wouldn't be an animal rights

activist if you did.  But, I hope ...maybe...you'll learn more about

physiology and come to appreciate WHY this research is done.  YOU don't have

to do it...but your life will benefit from it.

 

fed up with being quiet,

animal researcher

(sorry I cannot give my name, but too many organizations threaten to kill

animal researchers like me)

 

 

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iWon.com       http://www.iwon.com     why wouldn't you?

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