Connecticut legislators have passed HB 6329, which would give students the choice of participating in classroom dissection of animals.
Now that Connecticut’s legislators have passed HB 6329, An Act Concerning Dissection Choice, it’s up to Governor Malloy to sign it into law.
Connecticut residents, please contact The Honorable Dannel P. Malloy and let him know you want Connecticut students to have the freedom to express their compassion for animals.
More colleges in the United States are replacing the use of live cats in medical training courses with human-based alternatives.
Paws Up!
To Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children’s Hospital for deciding to stop using cats to teach medical students how to intubate infants.
According to a news story, “Washington University has stopped using live cats in a medical training course, a practice that some animal rights groups have long opposed.”
Across the United States, many medical-related courses that once used live animals as test subjects are now being taught using only human-based simulators. For instance, in over 95 percent of the Advanced Trauma Life Support classes taught in this country, non-animal models, such as the TraumaMan System and SimMan, and cadavers are being used in place of live animals. Where infant training is concerned, validated and human-based alternatives, such as Gaumard’s Premie HALL and PREMIE Blue, exist and should be used in place of live animal experimentation.
According to Dr. John Pippin, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, “It’s especially inhumane and especially indefensible [to use live animals] when there are alternatives in hand which not only would spare the animals the trauma of going through this but also would provide a better educational experience.”
It’s time to do no harm in medical schools.
Take Action: Write a note of thanks to the Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis Children’s Hospital for deciding to spare the lives of cats. If you know of a medical school where animals are still being used to teach skills needed on humans, write to the dean and suggest he or she follow Washington University School of Medicine’s lead.
Larry J. Shapiro, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs and Dean
Washington University School of Medicine
660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110
J Eric Gordon, MD, co-chief of service
Perry L Schoenecker, MD, co-chief of service
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
One Children’s Place
St. Louis, MO 63110
The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act would make individuals attending these events punishable by fines and up to one year in prison.
Spectators at illegal dog fighting events are not punishable by their mere presence at such events. The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, S 666 , makes knowingly attending an animal fight punishable by fines and up to one year in prison.
Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states, yet people who attend these illegal activities are never punished—only those who are caught engaging in the fighting itself. To be a spectator at a known illegal activity should be just as punishable as actively participating in the illegal activity.
Contact your senators and urge them to support the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, S 666.
Greyhounds are subjected to extreme conditions in the racing industry and are often times put to death once they are no longer able to race.
While Florida has instituted stricter rules regarding the care and safety of racing greyhounds, greyhounds are still subjected to extreme conditions at many racing parks around the country. According to an article about greyhound racing, “at least 1,400 dogs [were] injured and 100 killed at Wheeling Island [WV] since 2008.”
Greyhounds were valued by Egyptian pharaohs for their grace, beauty, and gentle manner. Today, however, they often live their entire lives in kennels barely large enough for them to turn around in. They have little human contact except during training and when taken out of the kennels on race day. They have short careers and are usually shot at the end of them if they are not rescued.
Not only do the dogs suffer but there are other animals who suffer, too. Rabbits are often used to train greyhounds. They become lures and are killed by the dogs when caught. Nearly 100,000 live rabbits and other small animals are literally torn apart in live-lure training.
Even though there are numerous greyhound rescue groups around the country, there are not enough to protect all the dogs who either retire from the track or who wash out after one or two races.
Never visit a track, never support a track, never watch racing on television. Because when you think about it…the answer is simple…stop greyhound racing.
Scientists have been sending animals such as geckos, gerbils, and mice into space to determine the effects of space travel on humans.
Why must space agencies continue to send animals into space to determine the effects of lengthy space travel on humans when we’ve had so many humans in space and for long periods of time? Recently, Russian scientists sent mice, gerbils, and geckos, among other animals, into space for a month to determine the prolonged effects of space exposure and weightlessness on living organisms. Many of the animals returned dead.
Humans have lived in space for much longer than 30 days; for example, Valeri Vladimirovich Polyakov, a Russian cosmonaut, spent 14 months aboard the Mir space station. Why then do we need to subject gerbils, geckos, and other animals to space travel when there are enough humans who have already experienced prolonged space living? When you think about it…sending animals into space is simply unnecessary.
If passed, New Jersey bill A 4088 would penalize those exhibiting bears, elephants, lions, and tigers in circuses throughout the state.
A bill before the New Jersey Assembly, A 4088 , would impose a penalty for the exhibition or use in a performance of live bears, elephants, lions, and tigers in that state.
Wild and exotic animals, such as bears, elephants, lions, and tigers, do not belong in the circus. Many animals are forced to perform by the use of bullhooks, electric shocks, ropes, and other abusive tools. Many circus companies have been cited for violations of the Animal Welfare Act yet persist in forcing these wild animals to perform unnatural tricks. These animals not only face years of both physical and psychological distress, but also pose a threat to onlookers during their performances.
Last year, Greece banned the use of animals in circuses; and just recently, the British government did likewise.
New Jersey residents, contact your legislators and let them know you support A 4088, which would effectively ban the use of live bears, elephants, lions, and tigers in exhibitions and performances in your state. Residents of other states, let your legislators know you would like to see similar legislation to protect wild animals in your state.
Patrick’s law has been enacted in the state of New Jersey, honoring Patrick (shown above) for the extreme abuse he endured as a puppy. This law would increase the civil and criminal penalties involving animal abuse crimes. Photo courtesy of The Patrick Miracle Facebook page.
Paws Up!
To the New Jersey State Legislature for enacting Patrick’s Law, S 1303.
The New Jersey legislator has passed S 1303 known as Patrick’s Law in honor of a dog who was starved and then abandoned by his owner. The bill is before Governor Chris Christie for signature.
The bill calls for tougher measures that would increase civil and criminal penalties for animal abuse and neglect and creates a separate offense if an individual is charged with the “needless killing” of an animal.
Take Action: New Jersey residents, thank your legislators for enacting this law and for protecting the animals of your state. Let your governor know you want the bill signed into law. Residents of other states, if your legislators are considering enacting tougher animal cruelty laws, let them know you support them.
