Silver Spring Monkeys Animal Abuse - Essay Example

Philosophy 9 December 2008 Silver Spring Monkeys Animal Abuse The Silver Springs Monkeys were macaque monkeys of the Institute of Behavioral Research in Silver Spring, Maryland.that were severely mistreated in the laboratory. The treatment of the animals was inhumane. First, the sensory nerves of the monkeys were cut off so that they could no longer feel parts, or even the whole, of their body. This is called deafferentation, where the space adjacent to the spine is dissected. With this, the monkey would not feel anything and would not know where certain parts of their body are. This alone is torture. They would even treat their bodies like foreign objects, chewing on themselves. The monkeys would eat away their own limbs until their skin would peel and their bones would show off, and what’s worse, these wounds were not treated properly. They were left to decay until their limbs fell off. Those that were bandaged were dirty and not cleaned properly, causing infection. Is this the humane thing to do? Animals have rights. They feel pain. They suffer from maltreatment. Many of us know this as true, because it is a fact that humans are also animals, and because there is a strong bond existing between many humans and animals. I have experienced such a bond through my pets, and therefore know it as true. Like us, these animals have rights that have to be protected. It is a fact that these animals have intelligence, perhaps not as high as ours, but they are still capable of thinking. It is proven that some animals have minds equal to our own children that are only a few years old. It is sometimes argued that these animals do not have rights because they do not have souls, since from a religious context, the Bible states that man has dominion over the animals. However, we must take note that many bloody massacres happened in the past, especially in wars, and these were also justified using the same line of thinking and using the Bible as an excuse. It is easy to use a holy book to justify an evil act. It is not that the book is evil, but the man who is taking advantage and twisting the truth. The same is true here. I believe that from a religious perspective we are given dominion over these animals not to abuse them, but to take care of them. Just because these animals don’t speak the same language as ours doesn’t mean that they can’t think. It is said that consciousness is a result of language. For me, animals do have language, but in a much simpler form. Dogs wag their tails, cats perk their ears, their hair stands on end when afraid, they growl, they whine. From observing pets, they even dream even as they sleep. As for monkeys, they also smile. They also interact in a way that is very similar to us humans. Just because a mute human being can’t speak doesn’t mean he is unconscious. Just because we don’t understand sign language doesn’t mean the mute who uses it doesn’t have language with which to communicate to us. Even in the Bible, it is foreseen in Isaiah that there will come a time when humans and animals will be at peace again and be able to talk to each other as in the paradise of Adam and Eve. I believe that this does not necessarily mean that animals will start to speak our language. On the contrary, it might mean that we would begin to understand them. Just because animals can’t tell us in human words doesn’t mean they aren’t hurt. When they yelp or screech in pain, it’s not merely an automatic reaction without any feeling at all. They do feel the pain. They may not have awareness as expanded as ours, but so do very young human babies. If you say that animals do not have rights because they are not conscious, then you might as well say that babies do not have rights because they are not as conscious as us. But “human babies are humans, and animals are animals”? This statement is similar to saying “You’re Black, I’m White, so you don’t have rights.” Going back to the experiment and trial, the setting, as described by the witness, was one of lack of care and proper attention. The cages were smelly and very filthy. The metal wires were rusty. The monkeys were hungrily picking food mixed with the waste. The cages have not been cleaned for months. Considering that these monkeys had open wounds, the situation is really not healthy for the monkeys. Furthermore, the wounds were not even cleaned. With this kind of abuse, is it right that Taub, the researcher who abused these monkeys, was just pardoned for his crime? I feel that Taub was not dealt with accordingly. I understand that Taub was able to contribute a lot in terms of research, however, it does not justify the mistreatment that he did. He could have improved the sanitary conditions of the cages, as well as cleaned the wounds on a regular basis to ensure the health of the monkeys. This is very much possible with how large the amount of funding he has been receiving. I am not against the benefits received from Taub’s research. I agree that a lot of useful and practical knowledge was gained. Victims of stroke and paralysis were able to regain control of their bodies. However, what I’m against is the unnecessary maltreatment of the animals. They were not given the care due them. The problem was that such maltreatment can be avoided, but they simply neglected it. Furthermore, after the trial, the monkeys weren’t saved either. Research was continued on them. They suffered even more, but this time, in the hands of other scientists under different laboratories. They continued to be treated in an inhumane manner. In conclusion, I am aware of the benefits of the research conducted on animals. I perfectly understand that there really is a need to perform research. It is a matter of survival for our race. However, the process of performing the research can be improved. The animals can be treated better. As much as possible, doing anything that can harm animals should be avoided and minimized. Whenever computer simulations or other techniques can be employed in place of actual experiments on animals, then those should be used. Humans, possessing greater intelligence and more complex minds, should become the caretakers of animals. Animals should not be abused and their lives should not be wasted unnecessarily. Breaches against animal rights should be dealt with accordingly to ensure that their rights are taken more seriously in the future. Works Cited Guillermo, K. (1993). Monkey Business. National Press Books. PETA. Read More