Tuskegee Vet School Ends Lethal Dog Program

 

From:

The Physicians Committee

For Responsible Medicine

TUSKEGEE, Ala.—The Physicians Committee announced today that the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine has ended the practice of performing invasive surgeries on live dogs before killing them.  The national nonprofit is now asking Auburn University to also replace “terminal” training exercises in its veterinary program.

Alabama members of the Physicians Committee brought the practice to the organization’s attention in 2018, and it was later confirmed by an anonymous Tuskegee veterinary graduate. At the time, healthy dogs from the Russell County-Phenix City Animal Shelter were used to practice surgical procedures, including eye removal, limb amputations, and foreign body removal. At the conclusion of the training labs, the dogs were killed.

Jeannine Bellamy, DVM, Director of Tuskegee’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital confirmed Jan. 5 via email: “The terminal labs have ended permanently. They will not resume.”

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“We hope Auburn will follow the example of Tuskegee and other universities,” said Physicians Committee Director of Academic Affairs John Pippin, MD, FACC. “It is clear that there is no need to harm and kill animals in order to train veterinarians.” 

Dr. Pippin is awaiting a response from Auburn leaders on whether the university plans to change course."