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Victories!

Other US Vet Schools Follow NEAVS'/Tufts' Lead 

(Fall 2001)—After months of discussions and support with humane surgery alternatives from NEAVS, Massachusetts-based Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine (TUSVM) last year became the nation’s first vet school to end all terminal surgery labs on all species.

No longer would veterinary students begin their surgical training by killing their first patients. According to AVAR, other schools have also decided to eliminate terminal (non-survival) surgeries in their required courses.

This year, the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine will eliminate terminal surgery labs for its required courses and is considering eliminating terminal labs in elective courses as well. Cornell University, and the Universities of Florida, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin vet schools have also agreed to end terminal surgeries in their required curricula.

What You Can Do

Contact NEAVS for our Alternatives to Live Animal Labs brochure.

Send a note of thanks for ending the required terminal labs but strongly and politely remind the schools that their work is not over until they replace all terminal surgeries with alternative teaching practices that serve both the “patients” and the budding doctors.

Dr. John Pascoe Associate
Dean of Curriculum
University of California, Davis
School of Veterinary Medicine
Davis, CA 95616
jrpascoe@ucdavis.edu

Susan J. Hyland, PhD
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
University of Wisconsin, Madison
School of Veterinary Medicine
2015 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1102

Donald F. Smith, DVM, Dean
College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Box 44
Ithaca, NY 14853-6401

Dr. Jeffrey Wortman
Associate Dean
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

James A. Thompson
Associate Dean
University of Florida
College of Veterinary Medicine
VAB1-100E, Box 100125
Gainesville, FL 32610-0125