The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals

A Vet's Vision for a More Humane Future

Carbone captures our complex relationship with animals, blending ethology, medicine, and ethics in a sensitive, powerful narrative that will open both hearts and minds."

Brian HareProfessor of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, and coauthor of The Genius of Dogs and Survival of the Friendliest

"Larry Carbone's book is essential reading for people who will serve on animal care and use committees and determine which experiments with animals should be allowed. "

Temple GrandinDistinguished Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University, and author of Animals in Translation

". . . Carbone brings to the table a unique combination of extensive experience as a laboratory animal veterinarian and a national reputation as a first-class scholar and an animal advocate who cares deeply about the welfare of other species."

Hal Herzogauthor of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals

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Behind the scenes, I recount experiments I encountered when I was new to laboratory animal work. Scientists infected woodchucks with hepatitis virus and then forced them to drink alcohol-laced smoothies. I show readers what an animal experiment is, and why we have so many different kinds of animals as models of human health. Woodchucks were third in line for Hepatitis B research, largely replacing children and chimpanzees until mice then replaced them. Mice now continue to be the main workhorse in animal research, dying by the tens of millions each year. In explaining how scientists construct experiments, I highlight their fear of variability and lack of control over their experimental animals, explaining why scientists frequently resist refinements that could make their animals’ lives better. And yet, when scientists aim for happier, healthier lab animals, the animals often become more reliable subjects for their research.