The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The debate over the military's use of live animals in trauma training came to Hampton Roads last week when People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals asked for an investigation into the killing of pigs by a local company.
Norfolk-based PETA sent a letter to the chief executive of a Virginia Beach-based company that offers military training, saying the company should train combat medics using methods that don't use animals that are later killed.
The Army says pigs and goats used in such training are anesthetized and do not feel pain before they are euthanized. Such training can save soldiers' lives, and alternate methods that don't use animals cannot mimic it, the Army says.
PETA's letter on Thursday to John Janota, CEO of Assessment and Training Solutions, asks him to investigate the company's use of animals.
"These live animals - who are traumatically injured and killed and are apparently used as 'stand-ins' for wounded soldiers - can be replaced with non-animal methods that have proved successful," the letter from PETA's Shalin G. Gala said.
Janota did not return messages left with a secretary on Thursday and Friday.
PETA provided an Agriculture Department document showing that the company in November reported using 1,310 pigs for experiments, teaching, research, surgery or tests. Assessment and Training Solutions' Web site says the company offers training in weapons of mass destruction, field trauma medicine, security anti-terrorism protection and project management.
The letter cites alternatives such as models and simulators and says the military might be violating a Defense Department order that says alternative methods should be used if they produce equivalent results.
The Army said it uses non-animal methods to train military medics, but only the responses from a "live trauma patient" teach medics to make quick decisions that can save soldiers' lives.
"Until there are validated non-animal alternatives that can accurately mimic all of the attributes and nuances that a live patient can deliver, we will continue to use anesthetized animals in order to provide the best trauma training for the life-sustaining care of soldiers facing death or complex battle injuries," Maj. Jimmie E. Cummings Jr., an Army spokesman, said in an e-mail.
Cummings also said the Army will keep trying to reduce the number of animals used. Veterinarians monitor the animals to "prevent them from experiencing pain or distress," he said in the e-mail.
Pilot writer Matthew Jones contributed to this report.
Patrick Wilson, (757) 446-2957, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com
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Goats, Pigs and PETA
I found it alarming that PETA want to prevent the training of the United States of America Armed Forces personnel.
News flash if you have not read the paper in the last 20 plus years. We live a world that things can happen in a blink of an eye. Let me remind PETA that there are people that love US and people that would like to do ill will and harm to US. The ones that detest US would love to see the rights that you have to do what you are doing taken away from you and you live in fear.
I recommend that you Shalin G. Gala and the employees of PETA take the place of the goats and pigs. What I mean is “it’s an all voluntary military” and think you could save a life in the field of combat and save the goats and pigs.
A win, win situation for all of US!
The military gets it training and PETA could say that “PETA supports and defends the Constitution of the United States of America”. If this was to happen, my cat and I could sleep better at night knowing that PETA is severing the USA.
Thank you and God bless America.
M
Hey PETA.....GO SCREW!!!
Hey PETA, stop going after only cases that you can castrate someone. Where were you when all the dogs from the NC puppy mill, from the Znui farm, etc.? THere are REAL organizations out there that actually do hand's on work with the animals to save them instead of policing society as a whole. Why would you go after Michael Vick or the Westminister Kennel Show like you have and not the owners of the puppy mill or the owners of the Zuni farm? Why? Because you pick and choose your fights with those that are forced to consider PR as a factor. Once they react to your rants, you walk away to the next fight feeling accomplished. The little guy can see the noble cause of yours but also the vagrant selection of debate you choose. How about aiding the rescue leagues better that really need your help instead of the issues that go away when the news is over. You are luchy that corp.'s care about about protecting themselves from you than they do with investments of hard working people.
Who are PETA?
The media's unblinking acceptance of PETA as experts or officials continues apace. They are neither.
PETA are simply a group of individuals who share an opinion or an interest - they could be quilters, Minnesota Vikings fans or squash players.
Like MADD, PETA have convinced the most gullible among us (i.e. the media) that their zealotry somehow elevates them to a position of authority. And so the press releases (or in this case a press release masquerading as a letter) get reprinted verbatim time and again.
The military should tell PETA to go pound sand.