Ch. 9— Animal Use in Education and the Alternatives • 207 
tional exercises that medical students routinely 
must perform. It should be noted, however, that 
it is possible for a student to complete medical 
school without using animals. 
Veterinary Education 
Being admitted to the profession of veterinary 
medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific 
knowledge and skills for the benefit of society 
through the protection of animal health, the re- 
lief of animal suffering, the conservation of live- 
stock resources, the promotion of public health, 
and the advancement of medical knowledge. 
I will practice my profession conscientiously, 
with dignity, and in keeping with the principles 
of veterinary medical ethics. 
I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual 
improvements of my professional knowledge and 
competence. 
The Veterinarian’s Oath 
American Veterinary Medical Association 
Twenty -seven accredited veterinary schools in 
the United States educate and train veterinary 
scientists and veterinarians in the basic biomedi- 
cal sciences and comparative animal health. An 
OTA survey of the 27 schools indicated that every 
veterinary school uses animals in its curriculum. 
As in medical education, the question of the use 
of animals in veterinary education is a matter of 
degree and practice. 
Veterinary students— unlike medical students— 
train on models identical to their prospective pa- 
tients. Animals are used in laboratory exercises 
and demonstrations, and students have the addi- 
tional opportunity to interact with clinical cases 
owned by their schools as well as those brought 
in by clients. Privately owned pets, domestic live- 
stock, and zoo animals all serve as resources for 
the clinical education of veterinary students. 
Most animal use occurs in the third year of the 
curriculum, when surgical training takes place, 
using principally dogs and sheep. In earlier basic 
science courses, anatomy involves dissection of 
cadavers with live animals present in the lab for 
comparison, and physiology exercises involve the 
observation of live animals. The fourth year of 
veterinary studies is largely clinical apprenticeship. 
With cooperation from the Association of Amer- 
ican Veterinary Medical Colleges, OTA conducted 
a census of animal use in veterinary education in 
the 27 accredited veterinary schools in the United 
States for the school year 1983-84. The survey 
counted only those animals that began an exer- 
cise alive and either died or were subjected to 
euthanasia during the course of the laboratory ses- 
sion or demonstration. Cadavers or animals sub- 
jected to euthanasia prior to educational use were 
not counted, and clinical patients were not counted. 
Of 16,655 animals used in 1983-84, half (8,020) 
were dogs. Mice, rats, and birds accounted for the 
bulk of the remaining animals (see table 9-6). No 
primates were killed during or after educational 
exercises in veterinary schools. 
Laboratory-Animal Training 
Technicians with specialized training in public 
health and animal care are needed at all levels by 
public health organizations, research institutions, 
pharmaceutical manufacturers, and universities. 
During the 1970s, several 2-year training programs 
were developed in response to an increasing need 
for personnel formally qualified to assist in pri- 
Table 9-6.— Animals Used in Veterinary Education 
in the United States, 1983-84 
Kind of animal 
Number used 3 
Dog 8,020 
Mouse 2,180 
Rat 2,083 
Bird 1,323 
Reptile 433 
Sheep 423 
Cat 414 
Horse 378 
Rabbit 195 
Goat 194 
Pig 140 
Guinea pig 112 
Cow in 
Hamster 71 
Other 13 578 
Total 16,655 
a This census of all 27 U.S. veterinary schools does not include privately owned 
or pet animals used for clinical demonstrations, animals purchased as cadavers, 
or those subjected to euthanasia prior to the laboratory exercise. It includes 
only those animals that began the course alive and then either died or were 
subjected to euthanasia during the course of the laboratory session. 
^Includes fish, frogs, and exotic species. 
SOURCE: Office of Technology Assessment. 
