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InterNICHE Co-ordinator
Nick Jukes 42 South Knighton Road Leicester LE2 3LP England Tel/Fax +44 116 2109652 coordinator@interniche.org |
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Brazil to host First Latin American Congress on Humane Education The congress, organised by Instituto Nina Rosa with input from InterNICHE, will take place 5-6 May 2006 in SÃo Paulo. It will be the first ever congress in Latin America dealing with humane education. International speakers include Nestor Calderón (Universidade de Sale, Colombia), Danielle Dennenberg (Cambridge College, International Institute for Humane Education and Seeds for Change Humane Education, USA), Jasmijn DeBoo (World Society for the Protection of Animals, England), Dennis Turner (International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations, IAHAIO, Switzerland), as well as students and professors from Brazil. Thales Tréz, InternicheBrasil coordinator and professor, will present a range of modern alternatives and talk about implementation of these methods at universities. Instituto Nina Rosa will also launch the new video "Thou Shalt Not Kill: Animals and Humans Behind the Face of Science", which promotes new approaches for cruelty-free science and education. An award for the best project on humane education will also be made at the congress. For more information, click here or email the Institute. Czech and Romanian versions of website launched Two humane education theses now on-line Alternatives texts available in South Asian languages InterNICHE veterinarians graduate using alternatives Two InterNICHE National Contacts recently graduated in veterinary medicine have called for the full replacement of animal experiments in veterinary studies worldwide. Siri Martinsen successfully completed her degree at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science using only alternatives to harmful animal use. She is now a practicing veterinarian and manages an animal rescue centre. Alina Bodnariu from Romania helped replace thousands of animal experiments at the Veterinary Faculty in Bucharest and has now begun further studies to progress animal welfare and alternatives in her country. The Norwegian campaigner for alternatives is the first veterinarian in her country to graduate humanely and without the harmful use of animals. She explained why this should now become the norm rather than the exception: “Full replacement through advanced computer software, ethical dissections and clinical work with animal patients is not only possible but is necessary for a veterinary education in accordance with animal ethics. Instead of physiology and pharmacology experiments on animals, I used a combination of self-experimentation and computer simulations. And dissections of animals that have died from injury or disease rather than of healthy animals killed just for education could be achieved for whole classes just as it was achieved for me.” She added: “When explaining these alternatives to fellow students, they felt that the alternatives would have been far better than the animal experiments which they felt obliged to attend. There was no doubt that combinations of modern learning tools successfully met the teaching objectives of the practical courses in my degree, and better prepared me for the veterinary profession. As a conscientious objector I am relieved to have at last gained my degree, and I believe this shows a willingness from the School to admit that a veterinary education can in fact be completely free from harmful animal use.” Facing more difficulties in her studies, Alina Bodnariu is now struggling to make education for future Romanian veterinarians ethical and animal friendly: “I helped establish a multimedia lab for my faculty, and supported the production of new physiology software that has replaced the annual use of over 1000 animal experiments, many of which involved severe procedures. But much of the education is far from humane, with many other experiments still being performed, and horses and other animals being killed for anatomy studies. Resistance to modernisation from ‘old school’ authoritarian teachers, as well as financial difficulties, are major challenges for Romania. But there is definitely a growing interest in and movement towards a better quality veterinary education.” In a forthcoming paper in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, InterNICHE Coordinator Nick Jukes and Siri Martinsen review the development, implementation and advantages of alternatives, with examples of replacement that has been brought by teachers about for pedagogical, economic and ethical reasons. Commenting on the two graduates, Nick Jukes said today: “The commitment they have shown towards their education and towards animals is an inspiration for all students, and their achievements are an example for all colleges that still use animals harmfully. InterNICHE encourages teachers to investigate and implement best-practice tools from the hundreds of CDs, videos, mannekins and simulators that have been developed by fellow teachers to enhance knowledge and skills acquisition. Along with ethically sourced cadavers and greater access to clinical learning opportunities, these alternatives are true to the ethic of veterinary medicine, which is rooted in animal care and healing, not the killing and harming of animals for their instrumental use.” Ukrainian and Farsi versions
launched Read
the Ukrainian launch press release 2005 Humane Education
Award Alternatives website hits
approach 1 million InterNICHE continues to
spread worldwide Humane Education Award 2003
(Part II): Successful applicants chosen InterNICHE offered the 2003 Award to university teachers and others in India, with support from Dutch anti-vivisection organisation Proefdiervrij. Rs.10 lakh (20,000 Euro, US$24,000) was made available in two parts to support initiatives based on enhancing life science education and replacing harmful animal use. Further details of the Award can be found here. Four applications for Part II of the 2003 Award were
judged to be suitable, and will receive financial support. The successful
applicants and their projects are: 2. Dr B. D. P. Kalakumar, assistant professor of pharmacology at the Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University College of Veterinary Science in Hyderabad, who will produce a freeware CD for veterinary experimental pharmacology. This software will replace a number of severe procedures performed on frogs, rats and dogs, and the production process will not involve animal experimentation. There are nearly 40 veterinary colleges where such software could be used to enhance teaching and to replace conventional harmful animal use, and many other colleges across the country could also benefit. As a second aspect of the Award, two reconditioned recycled computers will be donated to the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, for student use. Despite India’s prominence in the global IT community, some university students do not have easy access to institutional computer facilities. 3. Dr V. Ramkrishna of the Veterinary College in Bidar, Karnataka, who will execute a small-scale project in the preservation of animal cadavers and organs through plastination and other techniques. Plastinated and corrosion cast specimens of whole animal and individual organ dissections will be made from the buffalo calf, horse, dog and bird. The specimens will be preserved for many years and will be used as replacement alternatives for killed and embalmed animals in comparative anatomy and histology practical courses. Moreover, student and teacher exposure to formaldehyde will be significantly reduced. The small number of animal cadavers required to produce the alternatives will be ethically-sourced by InterNICHE, i.e. the animals will have died naturally or been euthanised secondary to terminal illness or serious non-recoverable injury. There is great potential in India for using plastination as a preservation technique, one which can also significantly reduce the widespread killing and embalming of animals for veterinary anatomy studies. 4. People for Animals-Chennai, an NGO involved in animal rescue and veterinary care, that will manage a nationwide replacement-oriented project focusing on alternatives within veterinary anatomy. The use of animals in India within this field involves much harm and killing, and the embalming of around 800 buffalo calves annually is conventionally done on the live animal. An alternative approach will be trialed in conjunction with local veterinary colleges, using ethically-sourced animal cadavers and a peristaltic pump in order to embalm humanely a range of animals including buffalo calves. InterNICHE will buy and loan a peristaltic pump for this purpose. Other alternatives within veterinary anatomy that can complement ethically-sourced cadavers include the use of models and of anatomy software. People for Animals will buy and donate to veterinary colleges across the country a selection of Indian-made alternatives, including cow models and a range of software. InterNICHE considers all the projects to be quality initiatives which will actively bring about replacement of harmful animal use. The 2004 Humane Education Award will be launched later this month. Nick Jukes Open Day in Germany, June
12th Polish version launched today This site is now available in the Polish language. Translated by Ewa Suskievicz, the site reflects almost identical content to the English language version. News relevant to Poland will be added over time.
Greek version launched today This site is now available in the Greek language. Translated by Sophia Nikolaou, the site reflects almost identical content to the English language version. News relevant to Greece will be added over time.
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