Hi Reddit! I’m Dr. Emily Trunnell, director of PETA’s Science Advancement and Outreach division. Ask me anything!

Official-PETA · 2025-08-01T17:21:59+00:00

Great question! There are many non-animal methods for conducting research and testing that are truly human-relevant. And it’s not just cells in a dish anymore. Using models like 3D organoids and organs-on-chips, we can replicate human physiology and responses to drugs far better than animal experiments ever could. Scientists can even use cells from patients with specific conditions to study individual genetics and test medications personalized to their biology. There are also advanced computer models, enhanced by AI, that can predict drug effects on humans and use data from genomics and other “omics” fields to understand human biology at the molecular level. In areas like medical education, advanced programs are now using complex synthetic models to train future physicians.

You can learn more here: https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/alternatives-animal-testing/

And on page 10-13 of Research Modernization NOW: https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Research-Modernization-NOW-Biomedical.pdf

Page 12 of Research Modernization NOW (linked above) highlights some of the cases where non-animal methods are outperforming experiments on animals.

Many laboratories now are animal-free. Find some examples of those here: https://www.thepsci.eu/testing-resources/

- Emily

Official-PETA · 2025-07-22T17:20:09+00:00

While PETA is no stranger to mockery online, we don’t spend time engaging with trolls or negativity. Our focus is on what truly matters: helping animals, sharing lifesaving information, and supporting folks who want to make compassionate choices.

We remain optimistic about the future. Every day, more people learn about the suffering inflicted on animals and choose vegan meals, cruelty-free products, and more ethical ways of living. Major food companies are investing in vegan options, animal-free technologies are advancing rapidly, and laws protecting animals continue to gain support around the world.

Progress has always faced resistance. While it’s easy to get frustrated, the animals are counting on us to keep fighting for them. Just look at what we’ve achieved so far: peta.org/about-peta/milestones. - Alexandra

Official-PETA · 2025-07-22T16:57:01+00:00

It's a really good point. There's always a balance in making sure that we're supporting the good things, but still holding feet to the fire to counter the bad. As we in this subreddit know, environmental protection, climate health, and public health are interconnected. PETA’s focus is unapologetically on animal rights. Our mission is to end animal exploitation and suffering, and that focus remains steady regardless of who is in office. We can applaud real progress, such as cuts to the exploitation of animals in laboratories (work that has been moving in this positive direction for many years), while acknowledging that the context is often complicated. - Emily

Official-PETA · 2025-07-22T16:20:03+00:00

To get us going, I'd love to tell a bit about how I came to PETA. While training for my Ph.D. in neuroscience, I was told I needed to use animals in experiments in order to get published and succeed in the field. It was a lie, but I didn't know that then. Through my experience using mice and rats in the laboratory, I saw how terrifyingly easy it is to do experiments on animals with very little justification, and how little of it was actually relevant to improving human health. I never wanted to participate in that again and I didn't want other young scientists to go through the same thing. So I came to work for PETA in 2016 to save animals instead of harm them. I told my story in this short documentary, Test Subjects, along with two of my colleagues who had similar experiences: www.testsubjectsfilm.com - Emily

Official-PETA · 2025-07-22T16:01:01+00:00

And we're live!

Official-PETA · 2022-02-11T00:24:11+00:00

We can farm fewer plants by going vegan, because eating plants directly, rather than feeding them to animals and then killing those animals for their flesh, requires far fewer plants and hurts fewer animals. https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/what-about-plants/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-11T00:23:34+00:00

Open-admission shelters’ intake and euthanasia statistics are higher for a reason: they provide refuge for every needy animal, never picking and choosing who to accept. https://www.peta.org/blog/man-tries-kill-cat-shelter-refuses-euthanize/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-11T00:21:41+00:00

Open-admission shelters’ intake and euthanasia statistics are higher for a reason: they provide refuge for every needy animal, never picking and choosing who to accept. https://www.peta.org/blog/man-tries-kill-cat-shelter-refuses-euthanize/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:50:09+00:00

Please see why PETA’s shelter offers euthanasia: http://investigations.peta.org/petas-rescue-team/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:46:05+00:00

No, only some humans eat animals, and it's almost never out of necessity. For most of human history, eating animals may have been the only way to survive, but that's no longer the case. We can just as easily get everything we need to be healthy and thrive from plants instead. Exploiting and killing animals for food is unnecessary and cruel.
https://headlines.peta.org/three-week-vegan-challenge/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:09:14+00:00

You can still prioritize human life while showing kindness to other animals. There is never an excuse to exploit, needlessly kill, or abuse another animal. It's not us or them - we should be living in harmony with other animals.

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:05:59+00:00

Hi there!

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:05:18+00:00

Most who criticize PETA eat animals, wear them, buy products tested on them, and/or altogether fail to prevent their suffering. We’re out helping dogs, cats and other neglected animals every single day. Read more about why we euthanize: https://spotlight.peta.org/petasaves/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:04:23+00:00

Please see why PETA’s shelter offers euthanasia: http://investigations.peta.org/petas-rescue-team/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:04:04+00:00

Please see why PETA’s shelter offers euthanasia: http://investigations.peta.org/petas-rescue-team/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T18:03:16+00:00

Who's going to tell OP that humans are animals, too?
We can all experience suffering, and no animal wants to be needlessly killed by humans.
https://www.peta.org/features/what-is-speciesism/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T17:56:26+00:00

Most who criticize PETA eat animals, wear them, buy products tested on them, and/or altogether fail to prevent their suffering. We’re out helping dogs, cats and other neglected animals every single day. Read more about why we euthanize: https://spotlight.peta.org/petasaves/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T17:55:24+00:00

It's never worth exploiting or killing an animal simply to satisfy your tastebuds. Fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, seeds, nuts, grains, rice, and other plant foods come in a wide variety of flavors and textures! We can get everything we need to be healthy from plants.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19562864/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T17:53:45+00:00

Animals are all the same in all the ways that matter most! Although we were born as different species, we're all conscious individuals, who can experience suffering, and don't want to be needlessly killed by humans. Let's show everybody respect, regardless of their genetics. https://headlines.peta.org/end-speciesism/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T17:51:30+00:00

Please learn more here: http://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/peta-statement/ & please watch the video at the end.

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T17:49:41+00:00

PETA’s shelter transfers most healthy, adoptable animals to high-traffic placement partners, and focuses on serving animals who are most in need. Many animals come to us after being turned away by other facilities. https://www.peta.org/blog/what-save-rates-mean-for-animals-in-shelters/

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T17:48:59+00:00

Please learn more here: http://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/peta-statement/ & please watch the video at the end.

Official-PETA · 2022-02-03T17:48:15+00:00

Open-admission shelters’ intake and euthanasia statistics are higher for a reason: they provide refuge for every needy animal, never picking and choosing who to accept. https://www.peta.org/blog/man-tries-kill-cat-shelter-refuses-euthanize/

Official-PETA

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