Unsettling news

I was talking to my daughter tonight and she was talking about their next Biology project... disecting kittens!:eek: :eek:

I am sick to my stomach thinking about this. I HATED every minute of disecting my fetal pig, and innocently figured that schools dropped this from their curriculum... after all, they droped the blood studies we did. I also thought that there was such a back-lash about this project that they stopped it due to public demand. I did not learn anything that carried into my life... the only people that would benefit are those that want to go into science or medicine. That might be about 10% of the kids.

Ugh.:(

to save wear and tear on keyboards....;)

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...ght=dissection

We're disecting cats, fetal pigs and frogs this year. Last year we disected a cow eyeball and a squid.

I don't have a problem with disection as long as the animals were not killed or totured for the purpose of it.

*EDIT* Oops, Richard posted the old thread. :p

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Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
We're disecting cats, fetal pigs and frogs this year. Last year we disected a cow eyeball and a squid.

I don't have a problem with disection as long as the animals were not killed or totured for the purpose of it.

*EDIT* Oops, Richard posted the old thread. :p

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sorry!

She has every right to refuse to dissect a cat. If I were her, I protest.

Really now, how is a cat any different from a squid? Either one is a dead animal, and it isn't our place to assign one more value than another.

I was the only one in the school that in 9th grade refused to dissect a frog. And then in 12th grade I was the only one who refused to dissect a rat. I was (and am) morally against it - I believe that we shouldn't kill animals just to dissect in high school science classes. It has already been done, it's not helping anything, and students don't come away from it with much other than another grade in the gradebook.

Of course I'm also a vegetarian, and really into animal rights (but not like those crazy peta people or anything!). I believe that animals all have feelings, and to kill them, for any reason, is wrong.

But then there's the fact that there's meat in dog food... but I try not to think about that. :( Guinea pigs are vegetarians though! :) *hugs my piggies*

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Originally posted by WolfChan
Really now, how is a cat any different from a squid? Either one is a dead animal, and it isn't our place to assign one more value than another.

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No, but we shouldn't be dissecting ANY animals - I really don't see the use in making bored highschool biology students do it. Future vets - yes, biology students who mostly go onto other fields, no.

Then again, even for future vets...there are so many better alternatives at this point. :(

I think it's pretty sad that schools have to resort to dead kittens for disections.. that's just wrong. I can understand for the fetal pigs (for my school anyways) They get them from the slaughter houses, so the mother pigs were already dead. I've never heard of disecting cats in BC, but then again, who knows what school standards are anymore..:(

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Originally posted by WolfChan
Then again, even for future vets...there are so many better alternatives at this point. :(

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I'm hoping to be one, so that's the reason I am ok with disections. I don't really know how else you're supposed to learn this type of stuff without hands on experiance :(

look up "alternatives to vivisection" on google. Dissections should really be a thing of the past by now, they aren't needed anymore.

And once again I ask, why is a cat that was PTS at the HS any worse than a fetal pig? That's what we used in my HS. (Of course, I graduated early so I never actually had to cut up a cat, or anything for that matter...)

Im afraid, we are going to be disecting animals too this year. And cats are one of them. Man, what will I do? :(

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Originally posted by WolfChan
And once again I ask, why is a cat that was PTS at the HS any worse than a fetal pig? That's what we used in my HS. (Of course, I graduated early so I never actually had to cut up a cat, or anything for that matter...)

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I don't think there's any difference. I HATED cutting up the fetal pig... and I had to do it TWICE - once in highschool and again in college. ugh. I never have used the information, and never will.

I feel as if this is a lesson better left for a student that seriously wants to pursue a career where this information would be beneficial. It is really hard for me accept that this might have any useful purpose in life... all I can remember is how awful I felt when out teacher instructed us to skin the pig.... that was the absolute wosrst thing I've ever had to do. So now, if ever I need to skin something, I know how to. Gee, yippie. That's so very useful.

When I was in highschool, we were allowed to refuse to participate.

I did the fetal pig and a cat in high school, but in classes I chose to take. Those classes were not mandatory for graduation. I never questioned, at that point, "where" the animals came from. But I was enthusiastic about learning more. I do think it should be a choice. The frog and the earthworm weren't a choice in Biology, but they did give us a good understanding that I don't think we could have gotten otherwise.

I had AP Biology in high school and we had to dissect a cat. I did it, but in all honesty my partners did most of it. My teacher assured me that these cats were euthanized in a shelter due to over population. It helped a little, but I still didn't want to do it. My cousin was in the same class and didn't do it. She almost failed, but her dad talked to some people so she passed. We were told up front if we took the class that that was expected.

I'm in college, and I have to take a biology class for my major. I am already dreading this - I don't think I could do a cat without breaking down in tears. I honestly don't think so. I am not a vegetarian (although I used to be) and I understand that we have to kill some animals for our needs. I have such a strong bond with my cats and it tears me up even thinking about it. They are more than animals to me, and I know I couldn't face a dead cat without thinking deeply about why it ended up in a dissection lab. Was it ever loved, or was it a homeless cat who never had anyone care for it or be kind to it? Either way would tear me up. I feel the same way when I pass a dead cat on the road. .

I might be able to do another type of animal, but I will have a very hard time with a cat. I know there really isn't a difference between a pig and a cat, but my personal experience with cats makes them very important to me. If I had ever had that sort of bond with a pig, I would probably feel the same way about them. It is similar to the old analogy about how if you had to make a choice between saving a loved one's life over a stranger's, you'd choose the person you love to save.

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Originally posted by boscibo
I'm in college, and I have to take a biology class for my major. I am already dreading this - I don't think I could do a cat without breaking down in tears. I honestly don't think so. I am not a vegetarian (although I used to be) and I understand that we have to kill some animals for our needs. I have such a strong bond with my cats and it tears me up even thinking about it. They are more than animals to me, and I know I couldn't face a dead cat without thinking deeply about why it ended up in a dissection lab. Was it ever loved, or was it a homeless cat who never had anyone care for it or be kind to it? Either way would tear me up. I feel the same way when I pass a dead cat on the road. .

I might be able to do another type of animal, but I will have a very hard time with a cat. I know there really isn't a difference between a pig and a cat, but my personal experience with cats makes them very important to me. If I had ever had that sort of bond with a pig, I would probably feel the same way about them. It is similar to the old analogy about how if you had to make a choice between saving a loved one's life over a stranger's, you'd choose the person you love to save.

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I completely agree with you. I'm so glad I never had to do a cat. I know for a fact that I would refuse.