Quote Originally Posted by smokey the elder
OK. I work in pharma, in tox support as a matter of fact, here's the straight dope (pun intended) on the use of animals in ethical pharmaceuticals.

1. The FDA requires it. This cannot be stressed enough. Animal models are NOT perfect, but they are the best we have for now.
2. The business about "puppy mills" is patently false. ALL animals for ethical pharma , from rats and mice through dogs to monkeys, are purpose-bred and VERY expensive.
3. A minimum of two types of animals need to be used: a small animal (rodent) and a large animal (dog, mini-pig or monkey.) This combination gives the best shot at predicting human toxicity while not wasting animals. The beagle is selected because of very clean gene lines and good temperaments. They tolerate the handling required quite well, and the small size aids in husbandry.
4. Animal welfare is taken VERY seriously. A company can get cited and fined heavily if it is not in compliance with the International Animal Care and Use Convention (IUCAC.) Animals in distress are treated if possible and PTS if they can't be treated.
5. Unfortunately, and this is what sticks in a lot of activists' craws (I have trouble with it too) animals have to be "sacrificed" and fully dissected in order to look at very fine differences.

(Tx to Matt B. at my company who gave a lecture on this very issue a few weeks ago.)
SmokeyTheElder, I want to thank-you for writing this post. You saved me a whole lot of typing. I am in a special animal and batonical sciences program at school and we learn alot of this stuff. My teacher pretty much told us all this. I would like to add though, that not all tested animals end up dying. My friend adopted a beagle or a beagle mix(mostly beagle though) from a rescue who typically takes in beagles from labs and such. Her mother told me that the dogs need to be foster because they are not used to the noises of stoves, doors, or people and animals(pets) in general. I don't know how true this is but there is a possibility it is.