The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals and the Need for Reform

"Countless millions of nonhuman animals (animals) of all sorts are used in a diverse array of laboratory research. Their treatment varies from being unspeakably inhumanely abused to being treated with kindness, depending on the questions at hand and the values and attitudes of the researchers themselves. The lives of these animals truly are hidden, and most people are incredulous when they learn that laboratory rats and mice still are not considered "animals" under the current federal Animal Welfare Act."

"The ways in which these intelligent sentient beings are used in invasive experiments demands deep reflection. Lifelong veterinarian Larry Carbone has seen it all; for this and other reasons, I was excited to learn about his new book The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals: A Vet's Vision for a More Humane Future. In his semi-autobiographical work, Larry offers a vision for more compassionate research while discussing both heartening medical successes and heartrending stories of animal suffering."

Countless millions of nonhuman animals are used in diverse laboratory research. Treatment ranges from inhumane abuse to kindness depending on research aims and researcher values. Many laboratory animals live hidden lives and rats and mice remain excluded from the federal Animal Welfare Act. Invasive experiments on intelligent, sentient beings demand deep ethical reflection and careful weighing of scientific benefits against harms. Veterinarians and researchers can pursue more compassionate practices that yield better welfare and more reliable data. Young scientists should engage with and improve research practices rather than abandon science.

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