The practice of true vivisection dates back to ancient times. Around 500 BC, one of the earliest known vivisectionists, Akmaeon of Croton, discovered that the optic nerve is necessary for vision by cutting it in living animals.

Who invented the vivisection?

Galen, a physician in 2nd-century Rome, dissected pigs and goats, and is known as the "Father of Vivisection." Avenzoar, an Arabic physician in 12th-century Moorish Spain who also practiced dissection, introduced animal testing as an experimental method of testing surgical procedures before applying them to human ...

Is vivisection still legal?

Is Vivisection Legal in the U.S.? Yes, vivisection—aka “animal testing”—is legal in the U.S. Although some of the experimentation conducted on animals today is required by law, most of it isn't. ... With the help of our members and supporters, PETA works globally to expose and end the use of animals in experiments.