Moreover, the OTA report states that this is probably a
conservativeestimateoftherealnumberofunregistered,and
hence totally uninspected and uncontrolled, animal
laboratories.^115
The UnitedStates regulation of animal experimentation is
nowacontinuingfarce:thereisalawthatonitsfaceapplies
to
allwarm-bloodedlaboratoryanimals,butitcanbe putinto
effectonlybyregulationsthat,inthewordsoftheOfficeof
TechnologyAssessment,“probablydonotaffectasubstantial
percentageofanimalsusedforexperimentalpurposes.”The
OTAwentontosaythatthisexclusionofmanyspeciesfrom
theprotectionof theact“appears tofrustrate theintent of
Congress and to be beyond theSecretary of Agriculture’s
statutoryauthority.”^116 Thesearestrongwordsfortheusually
restrainedOTA—butthreeyearslater,nothingatallhasbeen
donetochangethesituation.Indeed,a 1988 reportbyablue
ribbonpanelofAmericanscientistsconsidered,butrejected,a
recommendationthattheregulationsbeextendedtocoverall
warmbloodedanimals.Noreasonwasgivenforthisrejection:
itstandsasanotherexampleoftheobstructionistattitudeof
UnitedStatesscientiststothemostelementaryimprovements
in the conditions of the animals they use.^117
Sothefarceshowsnosignofcomingtoanend.Thetrouble
isthatitisdecidedlyunfunny.Thereisnoreasontobelieve
thatratsandmicearelesssensitivetopainandsuffering,or
lessinneedofminimumstandardsforhousingandtransport,
than guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, or many other animals.
Indescriptionsof experimentsin thischapter upto now,I
havelimitedmyselftosummarizingthereportswrittenbythe