Sentient Exposes World of Experimental Animal Testing for the Greater Goodb

When Planet of The Apes was released, I was emotionally stirred by the premise that apes were used for experimental purposes and it was immensely disturbing. As an animal lover and knowing how in-tune and intelligent this species can be, it left a hole in my heart that humanity could be intentionally so cruel.  Would this always be the case, or will humans find alternative methods to test for medicinal cures, makeup and perfumed scents?

With recent news reports of chimps escaping zoos in Indianapolis, North Carolina and wild monkeys on the loose in St. Louis, one wonders if they know something we don’t? What we do know is that if bitten or scratched by these animals, one could be at risk of contracting or being exposed to Herpes Virus B, which has a fatality rate of 70% and could literally start the next pandemic.  Speaking of pandemics, testing on monkeys was critical in developing the vaccine for Covid 19, which had killed millions globally.  So the question is, while we might have a need to test on animals, do we indeed have the right?

Animal testing, specifically on primates, has long been controversial, but its supposed necessity for medical breakthroughs has made many in the medical community and general public accept it. Sentient questions this assumption with an open mind and deep research, drawing on evidence and testimony from people on the front lines of animal experimentation around the world, some of whom have been traumatized by what they’ve seen and done. With disturbing footage from highly secretive laboratories and a rigorous approach that includes conflicting voices, a complicated portrait of the efficacy of animal testing for the betterment of humankind emerges.

The nature of the work creates a genuine bond between the researchers and the animals they experiment on, and many scientists struggle with the ethical weight of this “care-kill complex.” Witnessing the method in which dozens of physicians and techs administer lethal doses to these animals will make your blood run cold.  Animals who have been given names, treated like a member of the family like one’s beloved dogs or cats are literally murdered so that others may live.

The numbers are staggering. In the America alone, 40 thousand monkeys are used in laboratories each year. Most are imported from massive breeding farms in Southeast Asia. “Sentient”  also takes audiences undercover to reveal what happens in the world’s drug testing laboratories and features unprecedented access into one of the largest animal laboratories in the US. It explores the consequences of this testing on the animals and the moral injury suffered by the people who do it. The guilt these men and women hold in their heart for eternity is unfathomable.  Yet, while I empathize with the dilemmas of all involved, it is my hope and belief that other methods of accomplishing the greater good can somehow be discovered and instituted.

Primarily featured throughout the film is Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a primatologist turned animal welfare advocate, who genuinely asks whether harming animals and ourselves in science’s name is justified. After decades of working with
chimps and monkeys and being a huge supporter, she came to the realization that her life’s work was profoundly wrong.

Director Tony Jones attempts an magnanimous feat in presenting every angle and point of view swirling around the very controversial issue to ensure audiences are able to draw their own conclusions succeeds in spades.  For me, my mindset has been exponentially shifted, educated and enlightened beyond comprehension.  For a world rapidly is displaying no value at all for human life, the least we could do as a human race is respect our animal contingency. Allow them to the opportunity to exist without fear of being trapped, maimed, separated from their families or the opportunity to have experiencing all that life have to offer – full stop.