Ending Animal Dissection In Zoology Courses
PETA Lauds 15 Universities For Ending Animal Dissection In Zoology Courses, Urges Ban At All Institutions
For Immediate Release:
15 March 2010
Contact:
Anuradha Srivastava 09987497167; AnuradhaS@petaindia.org
New Delhi -- As the University Grants Commission (UGC) considers a ban on the dissection of animals for zoology experiments in colleges and universities, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India commends the 15 universities-- including Nalanda Open University, Madurai Kamaraj University, Pondicherry University, Thiruvalluvar University, Bharathiar University, Kakatiya University and Jamia Millia Islamia -- that have already ended animal dissection on their campuses for zoology courses or are in the process of phasing it out. PETA supports the ban on cruel and unscientific animal dissection and encourages the use of computer--generated virtual dissection programmes, observation of animals in field studies and other humane methods.
PETA has written to all of the country's universities that still use dissection in zoology courses, urging them to switch to humane, non--animal alternatives. In addition to discussing a ban on animal dissection, the UGC has criticised colleges with zoology courses for not including lessons in their curricula that teach students about animal welfare and animals' ability to feel pain.
Besides being cruel, dissection can have a devastating impact on the environment by decimating wild populations of insects and amphibians. Researchers from the International Union for Conservation of Nature have reported that a third of all amphibian species around the world, including frogs, are threatened with extinction. Demand for dissection specimens exacerbates the problem.
Dissection also puts students' health at risk. Formaldehyde, the agent used to preserve animals killed for dissection, is a hazardous chemical that can cause nausea, headaches and breathing difficulties and has been linked to cancer.
"Published studies show that non--animal methods of learning anatomy and physiology are as good as -- and in many cases, better than -- using animals", says PETA India campaigner Dr Anuradha Srivastava. "More importantly, the non--animal methods will not force students to cut themselves off from their compassion for animals."
PETA's letter to the universities and correspondence with the UGC are available upon request, along with materials on alternatives to animal dissection. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com.
http://www.petaindia.com/newsnew/newsItem.asp?id=3046
For Immediate Release:
15 March 2010
Contact:
Anuradha Srivastava 09987497167; AnuradhaS@petaindia.org
New Delhi -- As the University Grants Commission (UGC) considers a ban on the dissection of animals for zoology experiments in colleges and universities, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India commends the 15 universities-- including Nalanda Open University, Madurai Kamaraj University, Pondicherry University, Thiruvalluvar University, Bharathiar University, Kakatiya University and Jamia Millia Islamia -- that have already ended animal dissection on their campuses for zoology courses or are in the process of phasing it out. PETA supports the ban on cruel and unscientific animal dissection and encourages the use of computer--generated virtual dissection programmes, observation of animals in field studies and other humane methods.
PETA has written to all of the country's universities that still use dissection in zoology courses, urging them to switch to humane, non--animal alternatives. In addition to discussing a ban on animal dissection, the UGC has criticised colleges with zoology courses for not including lessons in their curricula that teach students about animal welfare and animals' ability to feel pain.
Besides being cruel, dissection can have a devastating impact on the environment by decimating wild populations of insects and amphibians. Researchers from the International Union for Conservation of Nature have reported that a third of all amphibian species around the world, including frogs, are threatened with extinction. Demand for dissection specimens exacerbates the problem.
Dissection also puts students' health at risk. Formaldehyde, the agent used to preserve animals killed for dissection, is a hazardous chemical that can cause nausea, headaches and breathing difficulties and has been linked to cancer.
"Published studies show that non--animal methods of learning anatomy and physiology are as good as -- and in many cases, better than -- using animals", says PETA India campaigner Dr Anuradha Srivastava. "More importantly, the non--animal methods will not force students to cut themselves off from their compassion for animals."
PETA's letter to the universities and correspondence with the UGC are available upon request, along with materials on alternatives to animal dissection. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com.
http://www.petaindia.com/newsnew/newsItem.asp?id=3046
Comments