Dose of reality Everyone seems to be forgetting that the overwhelming majority of animal testing is done to protect animals. Ecologists study animals, so that we might improve their environment, and offset the effects of humanity (which, by the way, are not going away anytime soon). As an American, this debate is embarrassing. The rights of animals is strictly a first world argument. Let some of these people starve in a poverty stricken part of Africa, and see how they feel about animal rights.