Michael N. Quigley FIScT
Createc Corporation, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
Animal testing science of sentience (SOS) is intrinsically important to an accompanying article “At the Ethical Crossroads of Animal Testing and Animal Sentience”. I presented what I hope was an objective report on the ethical stance on the use of animal testing and research given the accumulating evidence in support of animal sentience. What I did not mention was my own very early glimpse into the world of animal testing. There was an unexpected twist to my own experience, but more than that I learned a salutary lesson: This really is not easy employment for science technologists. It can be thankless and draining, and over time is the reason why some choose to leave to work in less emotionally taxing environments.
As to my glimpse inside this world, it came about in an interesting way. When I was very young, I applied for a lab job with a company manufacturing consumer products. Specifically, the vacancy was for a biological lab technician, and I attended the interview on that basis. I learned that although regular lab duties were involved, there were other responsibilities. Some of my time would also need to be spent working in the company’s animal testing facility. Three-quarters of the way through the interview, I was invited to take a tour through the labs including those housing the animals. I am intentionally not going to mention the animals that I saw, or the tests being performed. I just knew at the time that this type of work really was not for me.
After returning to the interviewer’s office, I wasn’t quite sure how to say “sorry, but I am no longer interested.” In my young mind, it occurred to me that my best course of action was to fail the interview. I had read advice about what to do to succeed in an interview, so in a complete breach of normal etiquette, I chose to do the opposite. I looked out of the window, checked my watch several times and was vague in my answers. Amazingly to me, I was still offered the job on the spot. I thought later, that these type of science technologist positions are likely difficult to fill, and I think this remains true to this day.
As an adult, I have never worked in an animal test or research facility, although I have spoken to many people who were, or continue to be employees. As explained to me, the results from test and research procedures outweigh the disadvantages. Historically, I know this to be true, but with acknowledgement to former US Vice President Al Gore’s documentary from 2006, animal testing SOS is set to become the next Inconvenient Truth in the 2030’s.
