Group Urges School to Use More Sophisticated Teaching Methods

Baton Rouge, La.(RUSHPRNEWS)AUGUST 16, 2008 — After learning that a Woodlawn High School student obtained a dead puppy from the East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control Center and dissected the animal as part of an assignment for her biology class, PETA fired off a letter to the school’s biology teacher and principal offering to fund humane dissection alternatives for the entire school.

In order to eliminate the use of animals in the classroom, PETA is offering programs such as the computer software Digital Frog, in which students can “dissect” a frog and other animals virtually. These non-animal learning methods offer many educational, economic, and ethical advantages over traditional dissection.
Although the puppy dissected in this case came from an animal shelter, more than 6 million animals–including cats, fetal pigs, rats, frogs and other species–are commonly killed and used in school dissections every year. These animals come from biological supply houses, which breed some animals and obtain others from pet stores and backyard breeders–as well as off the street.

“Studies show that students learn anatomy and physiology just as well–and often better–when they use virtual dissection programs rather than cut up animals,” says Kathy Guillermo, PETA’s Director of Laboratory Investigations. “PETA would be delighted to help Woodlawn High educate its students and foster respect for all life by supplying a license for sophisticated virtual dissection software.”

Contact:
Justin Goodman 757-622-7382

 

For more information, please visit PETA’s Web site CutOutDissection.com.