Jun05
Abuse, Suffering, and Death in Pierce College Classrooms
Posted at 02:40 PM | Permalink
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Comments (9)
OK, here's the thing: You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the handful of regulations that govern the treatment of animals in laboratories. What's required of folks who use animals in laboratories is so embarrassingly obvious—animals who are sick or injured need veterinary care, animals who are too ill to be treated should be euthanized, dogs should be exercised, cages should be cleaned, and so on. And yet, vivisectors in labs across the country violate federal law every single day.
Take this situation at Pierce College: A whistleblower has informed PETA that animals are being abused and killed in classroom laboratories by an instructor (Christa Slattery) and her students, in apparent violation of federal animal welfare regulations. The whistleblower told us that Slattery operates her classes like a "free for all," allowing students to poke, prod, bleed, and inject animals with minimum guidance or instruction. And reportedly, when Slattery gets to the animals, it seems that she barely knows what she's doing! The whistleblower told PETA that Slattery tried to push a large mouse into a small tube to restrain the mouse; she wondered whether the tube was too small but just shrugged her shoulders and continued to force the mouse into the tube. Minutes later, the mouse was dead.
Here's what the whistleblower had to say about the matter:
Ms. Slattery's failure to provide detailed guidance in the form of thorough instruction, science-based guidelines, and careful supervision deprives the students in her class of an opportunity to receive adequate training in animal care procedures and leaves the animals used in demonstrations open to neglect, mistreatment, and abuse.
And here's what PETA's director of laboratory investigations told the media today:
Pierce College's veterinary technician program appears to be teaching students that animals' lives don't matter. Slattery's laboratory is apparently in violation of a host of federal regulations, and we're urging the USDA to investigate and force Pierce to comply with animal protection regulations.
If you'd like to write to the veterinary school about this issue, you can do so through the handy Web form here.
—Grace
Posted by Grace Freidan, Researcher
TAGGED:
animal testing pierce college
Comments
PETA could save SO much time and energy if the USDA would do their fricking job properly. What the F*** is wrong with them?
Even before Bush the USDA sucked. I'm glad PETA is stepping in but I don't pay my taxes to have that lazy group push papers around and ignore real animal torture.
The other problem is that while it's difficulty, boycotting Lowe's is a lot easier than boycotting a vet tech program.
Unlicensed vet techs, most of them, just want to make ends meet and have a real title to go with their devotion to helping animals.
Not all, but most of the vet techs I meet are healers.
Like myself, they get real enjoyment out of nurturing a sick animal, warming up a cold, frostbitten stray, giving painkillers to a wild animal who has been hit by a car. They have total devotion.
So when your mentor and head of your program tells you to do something unethical in order to get your degree, it's obvious that the ethical techs will refuse, but the professor will threaten to fail you.
It's manipulative and underhanded. The bullying needs to stop.
Techs DO need to practice on real animals to get the skills in surgery and drawing blood, etc.
Maybe PETA can begin a campaign to get techs out into the field more, in vet clinics where strays are taken in and they can practice on real patients with a real vet supervising.
That way when the techs have practiced on computer models and fake dogs, the next step would be real animals who really do need those procedures, and we can ELIMINATE animals kept in cages on these campuses.
Posted by: Maya, CVT | June 5, 2008 03:01 PM
Excellent point how frequently the minimal and pathetic standards set forth by the Animal Welfare Act are violated, Grace. According to this US Department of Agriculture Review (www.all-creatures.org/saen/res-usda-aphis-viosum2006-22.html), there were 20,281 *documented* violations of the Animal Welfare Act in 2006, affecting 463,194 animals. Please note that this only considers violations noticed by investigators (who only visit twice per year) and those violations which involve animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (no mice, rats, birds, cold-blooded reptiles, etc). It is downright laughable that laboratory spokespeople state that their facilities "follow all laws and guidelines" when conducting research. Bah, humbug!
Posted by: Sinon Robert | June 5, 2008 03:19 PM
how do teachers have the courage to hurt an animal that has done nothing and can not do anything to save it self and if you think about it why don't you try to do an experiment on a human next time take some time to think about what you are doing and say to your self how would that feel is someone did that to me
Posted by: Julio | June 5, 2008 04:12 PM
I think the teacher lacks feeling for her fellow creatures. The teacher obviously never read her bible where it states that the dumb brutes shall rise against you. Animals have feelings the same as you and me they love their babies, hurt and feel pain when they are hurt. I personnally do not believe that animals should be used in these classes unless they are already dead. She should be ashamed to call herself a techer.
Posted by: norma buker | June 5, 2008 09:40 PM
Pierce College also slaughters pigs for all to see and enjoy...so who really are these people?
Posted by: Carolyn Doswell | June 7, 2008 05:01 PM
How could people actually do this? You would think they would have a better conscience.
Posted by: Joshua Berman | June 8, 2008 09:10 PM
Thanks to the whistleblower for exposing Slattery. Her insensitivity to animals and sloppy teaching methods need to be addressed. Thanks to Peta, too, for taking up the cause.
Really smart ideas, Maya. A lot of animals would be spared unneccessary pain if they were implemented.
Posted by: lynda downie | June 8, 2008 11:59 PM
I used to work with her for a short time. I'm not surprised. I couldnt handle her emotional tirades and lack of veterinary technical knowledge. The dumb leading the blind. I can't tell you how many animals she has caused to suffer or killed due to her clear lack of skill and humanity. My boss saw what she did once and then he scheduled surgeries whenever she wasnt there just to avoid mistakes. Frankly, I can't believe she hasnt been fired yet. She needs to be fired and never allowed near any kind of animal. Stuffed or real.
Posted by: Jim | January 28, 2009 04:31 PM
what Pierce College is this?
the one in woodlandhills Ca cus if so i attend that school and thats so sad and disappointing to hear.
Posted by: Natalie castillo | September 4, 2009 05:47 AM