Stop The Use Of Pound Animals For Experiments At Queensland University

[OSoSwift]

I wouls say definately not suited for life as a vet. EVts have many unsavoury jobs to do, many of which involve euthanasing animals, quite a few of those perfectly healthy.

Whilst I am not for euthanasia for the sake of it I would rather a newly graduated vet had some hands on experience prior to be thrown out into the world and having to perform surgery on peoples vets.

I do remember a vet student who under sufference desexed a cat - of course under the very watchful eye of the vet. She hated it and made it known that after graduating she was going into the scientific study side of veterinay medicine not the general pet GP side. She didn't not want to do surgery on animals in any way shape or form.

[Annie99]

Universities which do not allow operations on living dogs/animals have a reputation for not producing the calibre of graduating vets as those which do.

Vets from "better" unis are likely to score better jobs, be allowed to do more procedures and generally expand their knowledge base, so they become better vets faster.

There are some excellent vets out there, but there are some ordinary ones too, and I am against any move which is sure to produce more ordinary vets.

I cannot see any drama about dogs which are going anyhow being used to provide non painful assistance to veterinary students, which use assists everyone with a pet.

More animal rights nonsense. Dead is dead. Suffering is suffering. If there is no suffering, there is no problems in my opinion.

Hi Jed

Do you have a source for those comments please?

[Aidan3]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/vet-stu...6-1225981328936

[WoofnHoof]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/vet-stu...6-1225981328936

That's really interesting thanks for posting

The wording in the article isn't clear about whether they will still be doing non-recoveries and just aren't allowed to use pound animals or whether there will be no non-recoveries allowed at all.

Also interesting is this bit from the comments section:

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHRMC) in Aus dictates that aggressive, diseased, and particularly impounded animals should not be used for scientific/teaching purposes due to the potential occupational health and safety risks that they can present with

[Are You Serious Jo]

I'm still failing to see how operating on an animal that is under a GA is inhumane, and WTF, are they saying pound dogs are an OH & S risk?

[Aidan3]

are they saying pound dogs are an OH & S risk?

I didn't really understand that comment either.

I would have thought the bigger issues were any financial incentive provided to pounds to move animals through faster and the psychological impact on veterinary students. These might legitimately be issues and I've not heard how they are being managed, only a lot of carry on from people who seem to have a bumper-sticker slogan understanding of veterinary training, animal welfare, and ethics.

Some facts would be nice. No doubt they are there somewhere, under the piles of emotion.

[Are You Serious Jo]

Well facts aren't as exciting as sensationalist press, which is what gets people to protest. Shame we can't debate those who claim the practice is inhumane, those who say it here just won't answer the question. I guess they should also consider desexing inhumane too?

[Souff]

The wording in the article isn't clear about whether they will still be doing non-recoveries and just aren't allowed to use pound animals or whether there will be no non-recoveries allowed at all.

Well then, by Australian media standards, it must be a very well written piece.

[WoofnHoof]

are they saying pound dogs are an OH & S risk?

I didn't really understand that comment either.

I would have thought the bigger issues were any financial incentive provided to pounds to move animals through faster and the psychological impact on veterinary students. These might legitimately be issues and I've not heard how they are being managed, only a lot of carry on from people who seem to have a bumper-sticker slogan understanding of veterinary training, animal welfare, and ethics.

Some facts would be nice. No doubt they are there somewhere, under the piles of emotion.

I don't know whether there has been any research done on the psychological impact on students, which is the part which interests me the most, the only study I know of was one on attitudes towards the practice which tended to change from 1st and 2nd years who were generally against it, to 4th and 5th years who supported it (some very agressively so apparently).

There probably is some research on it somewhere though since there are a lot of unis around the world which don't use non-recoveries in their programs, I would like to see internships or something similar introduced to cover the surgical skills development phase in the unis where this is currently absent.

[Montage]

I also have no problem with this program and I'm a huge softie. The animals are going to be PTS anyway and it gives a student the opportunity to be able to gain confidence in their clinical skills. Yes it's sad that these animals are euthanised by seriously, people should save their anger for all the animals who are living in constant torment through animal testing and experimentation. I'm sure they don't get treated as well.

Just out of curiosity and slightly off topic do vet surgeons have to be able to perform all types of surgery from ortho to general? Or do they specialise?

[Crisovar]

I also have no problem with this program and I'm a huge softie. The animals are going to be PTS anyway and it gives a student the opportunity to be able to gain confidence in their clinical skills. Yes it's sad that these animals are euthanised by seriously, people should save their anger for all the animals who are living in constant torment through animal testing and experimentation. I'm sure they don't get treated as well.

Just out of curiosity and slightly off topic do vet surgeons have to be able to perform all types of surgery from ortho to general? Or do they specialise?

You get Specialist Vets, but many Vets do most kinds of surgery to a certain degree, especially in regional areas where there is a drought of Specialists available.