What it boils down to quite simply for me is that animals should be protected by standards. Animals are not equal to a human being. A human life holds more value, even it is for some trivial reason like genetics, inability to communicate, etc. So much of the headway modern medicine makes is due to animals, that I'm not willing to complain. I'm not willing to point a finger of blame at the scientists who use animals to find ways to save human lives.
What I AM willing to do, is demand standards in what kinds of research are entitled to these animals (ie, how imortant is it to us), how the animals should be treated, what sorts of procedures are performed, (are they overly cruel or entirely necessary?). Essentially, I'm willing to demand the sorts of standards that the vast majority of research institutions have already instituted for themselves.