Businesses use animals in numerous ways. The fish and meat on the table for dinner come from farms, fish markets, and butchers. Many items of clothing are from the leather industry, the animal dye industry, and the fur trade. Circuses, zoos, and trained-animal fights (such as cockfights) are parts of the entertainment industry. Many cosmetics have been safety tested on animals, and the pharmaceutical and chemical industries each year expend millions of research dollars on millions of animals used in toxicological studies.

Many businesses have internal review committees established, at least in part, to protect the interests of research animals. Their charge is to see that prevailing policies intended to protect animals are properly implemented and that pain and suffering are minimized. Many corporations in the ...