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Animal Protection Information Service (APIS)

The Animal Protection Information Service* (APIS) is an online database provided by the Humane Education Network. The information in APIS will be useful to animal advocates, students, reporters, legislators, scientists, policy makers in business and education, and the general public. The APIS database contains over 5000 summaries of published articles detailing issues surrounding the use of animals and enforcement of animal protection laws in the following areas:

  • Animal Research - Animal Testing - Animals in Laboratories
  • Animals in Education
  • Viable Alternatives to the use of Animals
  • Animals in Entertainment - e.g. circuses, zoos, rodeos, exhibits
  • Factory Farms - e.g. fur, food, puppy mills
  • Wild Animals - e.g. predator control, population control, rehabilatation issues
Please contact us if you have any questions about using APIS.

*Formerly Animals in Laboratories Information Service (ALIS).

Why use APIS?

The APIS database contains simple summaries of books and articles on waste, abuse, and alternatives to animals in research, testing, education, entertainment, factory farming and in the use of wild animals. The categories in APIS outline the essential issues and arguments needed to convince policy makers that reforms are needed. See some of the myths and facts for an introduction.

Searching the Database

There are three ways to search the APIS database: Simple, Advanced, and Category:

Simple search

Simple search enables the selection of summaries by words in the summaries.

Advanced search

Advanced search enables the selection of summaries by number, source, date etc.

Category search

Category search enables the selection of summaries by category, keywords, area and so on.

How APIS content is selected

The following policies have guided the Humane Education Network in collecting and summarizing information for the APIS database. See the Database Design section below for more information on how we have chosen and categorized information.

Summaries, Not Editorials

APIS contains summaries of articles, books, and government documents related to the use of animals in laboratories, education, entertainment, and factory farming as well as the use of wild animals. The summary authors have attempted to accurately represent the content of the original source and not add editorial comment.

Waste, Care, and Alternatives

Summaries cover the following areas:
  • Waste is criticism of research, testing, or education that wastes animal lives and money;
  • Care is documented evidence that animals in laboratories, in entertainment areas, on factory farms, in wild animal usage and control, are being mistreated;
  • Alternatives are alternatives to animal use in research, testing, education. entertainment activities, factory farming practices and wild animal usage.

See Database Design for more details.

Credible Sources

APIS summaries include criticism from sources that will be credible to legislators, reporters, and the public. Credible critics include doctors, investigative reporters, legislators, scientists, government agencies, and whistle blowers.

Criticism Supported by Evidence

Criticism is best when supported by factual evidence. APIS avoids summaries with unsupported statements.

Ethical Arguments Avoided

APIS does not include arguments discussing the ethics of using animals for research. We leave these ethical arguments to other forums.

Not Necessarily Our Views

The information contained in APIS does NOT necessarily represent the views or policies of the Humane Education Network. It is information that we believe will be educational for those concerned about the use of animals in research, testing, education, entertainment, factory farming and wild animal usage.

How APIS content is organized

The APIS database contains summaries of newspaper and magazine articles, books, and government documents related to the use of animals in research, testing, education, entertainment and factory farming as well as the use of wild animals. The summaries are organized using combinations of the categories shown below. For example, a summary of an article criticizing a specific animal experiment would be categorized as Waste Research Critics Specific. See the Category Search page for complete lists.

Waste

When animal life and tax money are wasted due to poor methodology, unnecessary duplication, inappropriate extrapolation between species; when causes or prevention are ignored; or when results can’t be applied to real problems.

Care

The housing, exercise, and feeding of animals. Issues include regulation, inspection, and enforcement. Problems include cruelty, callousness, inertia, and vested interests.

Alternatives

Replacing animals with non-animal methods (in vitro, computers, clinical, epidemiological, and so on), reducing the numbers of animals used for an experiment, or refining experiments to lessen animal pain or discomfort.

Research

Experiments seeking to understand the causes or identify the treatment and prevention of disease. For example, the study of cancer, Alzheimers, or AIDS.

Testing

Experiments measuring the safety of products (drugs, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, and so on). For example, testing for carcinogens, toxicity, or drug side effects.

Education

Experiments intended to educate students or show a known process. For example, teaching anatomy, biology, or surgery in grade school, high school, or college.

Critics Specific

A credible authority criticizing a specific instance of waste or abuse in research, testing, education, entertainment or factory farming or in the use of wild animals. Also specific alternatives or advances made without using animals.

Critics General

A credible authority criticizing a general waste or abuse in research, testing, education, entertainment or factory farming or in the use of wild animals. Also general areas of alternatives or advances made without using animals.

Defenders

A defender of the status quo or increased animal use. Arguments include exaggerated claims of advances based on animal use and exaggerated claims on the limits of alternatives.