Sacrificing Animals For Education

Interview Question #8

Published on January 13, 2004 By DrKata In Pets & Nature

How do you feel about working on live animals that are not going to saved after surgery?

Today was the first day of classes of the Spring 2004 semester at URI where I'm a sophomore. In my animal development class my professor announced that we would be sacrificing live animals in lab in order to run experiments on them. He mentioned that if any one in the class had any ethical/sensitive stomach problems that he/she should come talk to him after the lecture.

I won't need to talk to him about my ethical dilemmas or queasy stomach. I see all kinds of surgeries on a daily basis, and I've also seen my share of dead animals.

I don't think that it's wrong for people to sacrifice animals in order to educate. If researchers didn't, then we'd have a hard time finding treatments and cures for ailments that all species (humans included) may have. It's absolutely OK for educators/researchers/etc to use live animals in an environment where there is potential to save many animals as a result of one life. A veterinarian needs to manipulate and experiment with live animals in order to make sure that the vet is capable of performing the procedure. There's a major difference between working on a live animal and working on a dead one.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Comments

JillUser

on Jan 19, 2004

I agree as long as it is done in a humane way. If it is causing pain to the animal, I object. There is no reason for that. You are working on anesthetized animals, right?

Kris

on Mar 09, 2004

The use of live animals in non-survival procedures for education purposes is a necessary evil. There is no model comparable to the real thing...nor will there ever be. This is simply because the animals don't read the books and they are going to have individual anatomical and physiological differences that can't be foreseen by a model. Part of what veterinary students need to learn is how to approach the unexpected. The KEY THING, however, is to maintain a consciousness of animal welfare and utmost RESPECT for the fact that these animals are giving up their lives to further our education, and ultimately future generations of pets, wildlife, etc. We must never forget the debt of gratitude we owe these animals!

JillUser

on Mar 10, 2004

You didn't answer the question. So they are alive, are they anesthetized?

wnx_decoy

on Mar 18, 2004

THEY'RE ALIVE!

Spc Nobody Special

on Aug 11, 2004

Yes, they're alive. But we're not talking about stomping on kittens for fun here. We're talking about killing animals in order to learn medicine, implying to save humans. Animals have no souls. They can be cute, fun, what have you. But THEY ARE NOT SENTIENT.
They do not think as you or I, whether they're the charming fuzzy animals the animal rights activists typically support out of a sense of aesthetics, or the insects, and things that make goo in the night, that they don't. A cat is a cat out of instinct, not because it truly loves you, no matter how much you love them....I have three, that I care for deeply.

Animals are a resource, and while we shouldn't cause them unnecessary pain, or death, surely it is right to sacrifice them when necessary to teach others to save human life.

BlueDev

on Aug 11, 2004

We operate on pigs pretty regularly, and next year with the research I will be doing we will be operating on them even more. And the experience is invaluable.

Pigs are really quite similar to humans anatomically. Position of organs in the chest and abdomen are very similar to humans, as is the appearance of those structures. While it isn't exaclty the same, the amount one can learn from operating on these live pigs is enormous. While it certainly doesn't qualify me to operate in humans at this point, I have myself removed a gall bladder, done a primary bowel anastomosis (joining separate portions of bowel), removed a kidney, removed a spleen, performed a femoral vein cutdown (for emergency IV access), done a tracheostomy (for emergent airway access), place a chest tube, a whole bunch of other emergent and life saving procedures, even so far as to do a cardiac massage, because we were able to operate of live pigs. Of course, we kept the pig's heart beating the whole time. It was invaluable experience that I am grateful I have had. Of course, the pigs were anesthetized and then euthanized once the surgery was done. I don't relish it, but welcome the learning opportunities it provided.

Angloesque

on Aug 11, 2004

BlueDev, I can't resist--is it all humans, or just Americans, that pigs are similar to?

-A.

BlueDev

on Aug 12, 2004

BlueDev, I can't resist--is it all humans, or just Americans, that pigs are similar to?

! Trust me, no one gets away from that comparison. It is all of us. Perhaps the males of us a little more so though!

Angloesque

on Aug 12, 2004

Yeah, I wanted to make that joke, too, but I was afraid of coming across as a feminist, when in reality I'm a good little housefrau.

-A.

KarmaGirl

on Aug 13, 2004

Animals have no souls.

Sorry, but I have met many animals that have better souls than a lot of humans do. I have had many animals in my life. Some are quite smart and have amazing personalities. Not "instinct". For instance, I have 3 dachshunds. If their personalities were merely instinct, they would all act the same. But, they are very different from each other.

People are animals themselves. Really smart, destructive animals, but animals none the less.

JillUser

on Aug 13, 2004

But THEY ARE NOT SENTIENT

According to whom? Animals are endowed with feelings. Why do dogs go so crazy when they are away from their master? And to say that they merely act on instinct, I would like to hear where you got your info.

I am personally not against the use of animals in the name of science as long as they are not in pain. To say that animals don't feel pain is just crazy. Pigs are highly intelligent. They get scared and lonely. They can learn. They can certainly feel pain. If they are anesthetized, like BlueDev said, I am fine with it.

BlueDev

on Aug 13, 2004

If they are anesthetized, like BlueDev said, I am fine with it.

To be quite honest I was really impressed with the way the animals were treated. They were treated very humanely and with respect the entire time. I think it is important. Afterall, our occupation should show everyone the highest form of respect, so we really ought to treat the animals with that respect as well.

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