The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 1.04 million animals are used for research every year in the United States. If this number seems surprisingly low it’s because it excludes all birds, reptiles, amphibians, and agricultural animals used in agricultural experiments, plus an estimated 100 million mice and rats.17 In addition, countless animals are bred for research but then “discarded” because they do not fit specific health, sex, or age requirements. Lawyer and animal advocate Gary Francione writes, “Federal estimates of animals that are discarded for these reasons are as high as
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