Barbara De Mori, Animal Testing: The Ethical Principle of the 3rs from Laboratories to "field" research with wild animals, Etica & Politica / Ethics & Politics, XXI, 2019, 3, pp. 553-570. ISSN: 1825-5167
Abstract
The ethical Principle of the 3Rs, known above all to the scientific world for its relevance in the field of animal experimentation, has seen in recent decades an exponential increase in its application in research in which animals are involved. Nonetheless, the application of the 3rs Principle to other animals, in addition to animals traditionally used for experimentation, and not only in laboratories, but also in the field, has been little explored. This contribution, against the background of an unresolved comparison between animal ethics and environmental ethics regarding the relationship between individuals and species or ecosystems, focuses attention on the importance of applying the 3Rs Principle also to ‘field’ research with wild animals. In the context of biodiversity conservation, the debate on the ethical use of animals is increasingly urgent and the Principle of the 3Rs seems to be able to promote a practical way to address the conflict of values about animals in conservation actions. It seems to be able to support those who must make decisions ethically and scientifically consistent in their daily work and to give some "voice" to the individual animals in a context in which often the "good" of the species represents the ultimate value.
Keywords
Animal experimentation; ethics; 3Rs; wild animals; conservation; animal welfare.
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