WalkAmerica, March of Dimes’ largest annual fundraiser, is taking place now in cities across the United States. I participated in this event more than sixteen years ago, believing funds would be used to fight birth defects. Since then, I’ve had three surgeries to correct foot deformities that doctors suspect were caused by Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT), a hereditary progressive nerve disorder of the feet, lower legs and hands. CMT is the most common inherited neurological disorder, characterized by a high-arched foot and gait disturbances.

Unbeknownst to many donors, a number of health charities, including the March of Dimes, waste time and money on animal experiments instead of devoting all of their funds to worthwhile projects that may truly help people with CMT and other disabilities or diseases.

This causes me far greater distress than any genetic defect ever could. It’s shameful that a health charity would inflict the same pain and suffering on animals that it wishes to eliminate in humans.

Animal research proponents often like to claim that animal rights advocates would change their minds about animal experimentation if they had diseases or disabilities. I didn’t. In fact, I find the implication that those of us with disabilities would automatically support animal experimentation insulting. It suggests that people with diseases and disabilities are selfish, callous, and desperate, and will support cruelty to animals in order to help themselves—no matter how futile the chance.

It’s simply unethical to cause harm to one species under the guise of helping another—unethical and ineffective. Although animals feel pain and fear like people, there are enormous physiological differences between animals and humans; data taken from one species cannot always be correctly applied to another. Vast differences exist even between mice and rats, let alone rats and humans.

Every dollar spent on animal research is a dollar that could have been better spent on humane, effective methods of fighting birth defects and helping people.

Relevant programs, such as the National Birth Defect Registry, improved prenatal care, counseling and education, and treatment for pregnant women addicted to nicotine, alcohol and drugs, can really help prevent birth defects and improve the quality of life for people with disabling conditions.

In May 2002, I contacted The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association of Australia, Inc., to ask if the charity funded research on animals. June Shepherd, an acting secretary, informed me that the charity was conducting research on blood donated from people who wanted to find the genes responsible for the condition. “There is never any research on animals,” she replied. “And there will not be in the future, as that will not give us the answers we seek.”

Many other charities, including Easter Seals, Birth Defect Research for Children, and the Little People’s Research Fund, Inc., put all their funds into programs that directly benefit people and never waste a penny on animal experiments. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, where I work, provides a complete list of health charities that do and do not fund animal experiments at www.StopAnimalTests.com.

The next time a health charity stretches a hand in your direction, make sure the charity won’t waste your money on cruel animal experiments. After all, health charities are supposed to help stop suffering—not cause it.

Heather Moore is a senior writer for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in Norfolk, Va. where she lives with her rescued dog, Carly. Heather frequently writes on vegetarianism and health issues as a freelance writer and for PETA. Her work has appeared in IMPACT Press, Enlightened Practice Magazine, Animal’s Agenda, I Love Cats, New Mobility, Satya, Wadi, Vivid, Writer’s Post Journal, and many other publications.