Section 14: Experiments on Animals

Overview

Section 14 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, deals with experiments conducted on animals. It states that such experiments are *not* automatically illegal. However, it doesn’t give a free pass to researchers. Experiments are allowed only if they are for the advancement of useful knowledge and are carried out under specific conditions designed to minimize pain and suffering to the animals involved.

Key Provisions

• Permissibility of Experiments: Experiments on animals are permitted if they are aimed at gaining useful scientific knowledge. This covers medical research, veterinary science, and other fields.
• Conditions for Permissibility: The crucial part is that these experiments must be conducted in a way that prevents ‘unnecessary’ pain or suffering. The Act doesn’t define ‘unnecessary’ precisely, leaving room for interpretation and regulation by the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA).
• Advancement of Useful Knowledge: The experiments must genuinely contribute to the advancement of knowledge. Simply repeating known experiments or conducting them without a clear scientific purpose wouldn’t be allowed.

Practical Impact

This section impacts several groups. Researchers need to adhere to strict guidelines and obtain necessary approvals before conducting experiments. Veterinarians and animal care professionals play a role in ensuring animal welfare during experiments. The CPCSEA (established under the Act) is responsible for setting standards, inspecting facilities, and approving experimental protocols. Citizens benefit from medical advancements resulting from responsible animal research, but also have an interest in ensuring animal welfare is protected.

Examples

• Example 1: A pharmaceutical company is developing a new drug to treat diabetes. They conduct experiments on mice to test the drug’s efficacy and safety. This is permissible under Section 14, *provided* they follow CPCSEA guidelines on animal care, pain management (like using anesthetics), and minimizing suffering.
• Example 2: A university researcher wants to study animal behavior by repeatedly subjecting monkeys to stressful situations without any clear scientific justification or attempt to alleviate their distress. This would likely be considered a violation of Section 14, as the suffering inflicted is ‘unnecessary’ and doesn’t demonstrably advance useful knowledge. The CPCSEA could revoke approval for such a project.