University Stops Using Cats for Medical Training

Washington University recently ceased using live cats for its pediatric advanced life-support class. In 2008, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals began to urge WU to implement simulator mannequins for the course instead of cats. During the procedure the felines were rendered unconscious and then had tubes forced down their throats. According to the Riverfront Times, PETA conducted a series of campaigns—ranging from social media exposure to undercover videos to filing complaints with the US Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office—to sway the school. “It was especially egregious that Wash. U. continued to torment animals in this course despite the availability of superior alternatives,” says Justin Goodman, PETA’s director of laboratory investigations. The school also came under fire from game show host Bob Barker, who condemned the use of animals and offered to pay for the simulator mannequins.