Which Is More Important: Human Welfare VS Animal Welfare?

When a tiger starts killing people, regardless of how endangered it may be, it has to be put down. Similarly, if the extinction of a particular species could ensure the survival of mankind, hand me the shotgun please.

Of course, thing has yet to go that far. We're not facing some kind of apocalypse, and certainly not extermination by aliens so we can still work on sustainable development to achieve a win-win situation. But some people, and I seriously mean some people, emphasize the well-being of animals more than the well-bring of their own kind. And I'm not talking about the Japanese-hunting-whales-thingy. I'm against that, too.

Please stop whaling. Image: sustainablesushi.net

Some animal rights activists had recently pressured airlines and ferry companies against transporting animals to the UK for research purposes.

Lord Drayson, who was a minister in the last Labour government, said "extremists" had picked off the companies, which had pulled out of transporting laboratory mice and other animals. The Times reported that Stena Line had followed DFDS Seaways in halting the carriage of test animals, closing the last sea route for medical researchers. The Channel tunnel had long refused the trade, it said, while no UK-based airline, including British Airways, would carry laboratory animals.-- http://www.guardian.co.uk

Image: sciencedaily.com

It's understandable that these animal lovers treasure animal lives. But hey, medical research is important  because we have yet to find a cure for AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer's, and there are new diseases emerging every few years. Halting medical research could spell disaster because any new disease nowdays could potentially push the entire humanity towards extinction. Just think of it as a safety net to ensure the continuity of our species.

And animal testing, especially on prolific-breeders like laboratory mice is actually no big deal. They are like breeding machines on steroid. Laboratory mice reach sexual maturity by six weeks of age, and could produce up to 14 pups after a gestation period of 19~21 days. Mice infestation is a problem in many parts of the world so why worry about them? They are the most adaptable animal after humans, and most importantly they are the least of our concern when it comes to animal conservation.

Image: sciencedirect.com

Some research which focus on saving a particular species would inevitably require some individuals from the species itself to be tested, which is in itself a justifiable thing. But if people die from a disease whose cure is already at the brink of discovery, but made impossible just because some preposterous animal activists who couldn't understand the importance of medical research and value the life of a pest more than that of a fellow human being decided to brand shipping companies as cold blooded accomplice, then humanity is doomed.

To come think of it, thousands of cancer patients, Alzheimer's patients are waiting for medical breakthroughs all over the world, and yet the animal rights activists couldn't understand the need to sacrifice a few rodents?
They should be charged with manslaughter.

p/s: note that I'm against poaching, consumption of shark fin, and unplanned deforestation. But mice? Oh please.


Malcolm
info: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/mar/14/animal-rights-activists-research-transport?CMP=twt_fd