Animals are a huge part of our daily lives. They provide food and clothing. They offer us companionship. They have been used for transport, farming, and construction. They protect us from other animals and our environment. They provide assistance when we are disabled. They help ensure that food, medicines, and the environment are safe for both us and our animal companions.

Think of a world with no animals other than humans — it would be very different, indeed.

Animals also serve an important role in biomedical research. Without animal research, people and animals all over the world would suffer from a range of illnesses and conditions.

The games in the Community Animal Research Facility (CARE) will show you how animals help scientists in research — and how research, in turn, benefits animals.

Biomedical research is an investigation by which scientists achieve an understanding, prevention, and treatment of disease in humans and other animals.

Almost every present-day practice for the prevention, control, and cure of disease is based on knowledge that was obtained through the study of laboratory animals in biomedical research.

Through the similarities between humans and laboratory animals, scientists have learned a lot about our bodies and how they work. And because animals are susceptible to the same diseases that affect humans, researchers are able to apply knowledge gained from animal research to develop cures and treatments that help humans.

Animals were essential in the discovery of antibiotics, painkillers, antidepressants, and most other drugs you use when you're sick. Animal research also enabled researchers and physicians to perfect the techniques of organ transplantation, open heart surgery, and joint replacement.

Research is also saving, extending, and enhancing the lives of companion animals - not just cats and dogs - also ferrets, rabbits, rodents, birds, and horses!

Through animal research, scientists developed vaccinations to protect pets from many devastating diseases like feline leukemia, rabies, parvovirus, and canine hepatitis.

Also, new treatments for cancer and other life-threatening diseases are now in use at veterinary clinics across the nation because of animal research. Even common veterinary drugs, such as flea and tick medications, were developed with the help of laboratory animals.

Today, with the help of animals, scientists are closer than ever to finding new preventions, therapies and cures for a variety of diseases that impact humans and animals.