Which of the following is NOT a core value regarding the ethical treatment of animals?

Which of the following is NOT a core value regarding the ethical treatment of animals?

• A. The use of animals in research should be scientifically relevant and appropriate.
• B. Animals used in research should not be subjected to unnecessary pain and distress.
• C. Animals in severe pain should be left in a study until it is completed.
• D. Animals used in research should be maintained in a way that provides them with as much wellbeing as possible

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that ethical animal care in research centers on protecting animals from unnecessary pain and distress while ensuring the study is scientifically justified and the animals’ welfare is promoted. Leaving animals in severe pain until a study is finished directly conflicts with that obligation, because it endorses prolonged suffering and ignores humane endpoints, analgesia, and timely intervention. In responsible research, if pain is severe or cannot be alleviated, steps are taken to minimize suffering, adjust the study, or terminate it. The other statements align with this ethic: research should be scientifically relevant and appropriate, animals should not experience unnecessary pain or distress, and their wellbeing should be maintained through proper housing, enrichment, and care.

The key idea is that ethical animal care in research centers on protecting animals from unnecessary pain and distress while ensuring the study is scientifically justified and the animals’ welfare is promoted. Leaving animals in severe pain until a study is finished directly conflicts with that obligation, because it endorses prolonged suffering and ignores humane endpoints, analgesia, and timely intervention. In responsible research, if pain is severe or cannot be alleviated, steps are taken to minimize suffering, adjust the study, or terminate it. The other statements align with this ethic: research should be scientifically relevant and appropriate, animals should not experience unnecessary pain or distress, and their wellbeing should be maintained through proper housing, enrichment, and care.