Jul13
Woody Harrelson Bashes Hometown Cat Killers
Posted at 12:54 PM | Permalink
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Comments (15)
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Homeless cats at the Odessa animal shelter—just a stone's throw away from the star's birthplace in Midland—are purchased by the university's Health Sciences Center and then abused and killed in medical training exercises. Faculty members and trainees force plastic tubes down the cats' throats and stab needles into their chests for procedures that invariably result in pain and death for the animals. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association exclusively endorse the use of modern, human-like manikins—not live animals—for this kind of training in their courses.
Here's part of Woody's letter to Texas Tech President John Baldwin:
Harming and killing shelter animals for these exercises is unjustifiable, especially as realistic manikins that more accurately represent human anatomy and better prepare medical professionals to treat injured and sick children are readily available. . . . I and countless others around the state are deeply discouraged to learn that Texas Tech is taking advantage of the tragic abundance of abandoned animals.
Cheers to Woody for speaking out against these cruel exercises. Wood you (ouch) join him in protesting these cruel, outdated procedures?
Posted by Karin Bennett
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Comments
Thanks to you Woody! Shame on you Texas Tech!!!! What your doing is just plain cruel and sick. It needs to stop NOW!!!!!!!
Posted by: carla | July 13, 2009 03:10 PM
Another reason to hate Texas. Do these people have pets of their own? I just forwarded this petition to a lot of people I know. I sent a personalized letter to the criminals who are listed in the petition.
Posted by: Richard | July 13, 2009 06:57 PM
Woody is a rugged and articulate animal lover whose voice is important to the cause. Cat abusers are reprobates.
Posted by: Brien Comerford | July 13, 2009 08:18 PM
Absolutely disgusting about Texas Tech. How can people be so cruel.
Cheers to Woody! We all need to stand up to help animals.
Posted by: Cathy Sutter | July 13, 2009 09:03 PM
alot of universities all over the country do animal testing. I'm not for Tech side, just look at other places just as well.
some are given cancer genes for research......
Posted by: reyna ybarra | July 13, 2009 09:52 PM
We can go to the moon, cure cancer, but we cannot find another way to replace the suffering and killing of innocent animals?
Use the human-like manikins!
There is always another solution.
Thanks Woody =)
Posted by: Eva G | July 14, 2009 02:49 AM
More unbelievable tales of horror from an alleged seat of learning. Well done Woody for highlighting this barbarism. Email of protest duly sent.
Posted by: Andy Bass | July 14, 2009 06:07 AM
Way to go Woody! I'm behind you 110%! Thank you for caring and helping to exposed this horror! It's just so wrong and it's awesome you don't sit back and let this happen. But choose to use your star power for this insane use of an animal. You are helping all animals!
Posted by: Wendy | July 14, 2009 11:16 AM
Thanks, Woody!
It's not surprising to hear that this is being conducted with impunity.
What else would you expect from Texas? Baylor University refuses to end its archaic and depressing bear pit. And Baylor is supposedly a "Christian" learning institution! So much for following the teachings of Jesus Christ.
I agree with another commenter--our nation made it a priority to land a man on the moon--an incredibly difficult feat not duplicated by any other country. Yet, we remain "stone-age" when it comes to respecting our fellow earthlings and extending our reverence for life to them.
Animal testing must stop!!
Posted by: Susan T | July 14, 2009 11:51 AM
I went to Texas Tech and am just now hearing about this practice. It disgusts me that this could be happening at my alma mater, it's embarrassing and I in no way agree with it. However, anyone that classifies an ENTIRE state of being cruel is just plain ignorant and statements like that equal instant loss of credibility. I have two cats that I love very much and would die for. Stop making this about the state of Texas, those comments are irrelevant and pointless and unfortunately are steering me away from the real problem here. Thanks Woody for bringing this problem to light, I will continue to follow this story until the killings stop.
Posted by: mina | July 14, 2009 04:58 PM
Three points:
1. To Susan T, have you been to Baylor's bear den? If not, I'd suggest you go again, because you may be surprised.
2. Again, this is a very questionable research done by PETA.
3. Mina, thank you for helping remind people that not all Texans are stupid and that - even if this is true - that a single college is NOT the state of Texas or all colleges there.
Posted by: Mel | July 14, 2009 05:46 PM
So PETA protests for Elephants in the circus and people who wear fur,but where are they when a 17 and 14 year old girls put a kitten in an oven to roast to its death and only get a year of punishment. Yes these are serial killers in the making. Yes I just read about this on aol it has happened in NY. Punishment should mimick the crime
Posted by: Roxie | July 16, 2009 09:09 PM
It is intolerable that the landowners are inflicting on the animals!
I do not forgive their behavior!
Thank you Woody, to their defense!
Posted by: Martine Polain | July 18, 2009 02:29 PM
I am a senior at Texas Tech and had no idea this was going on. I love my doggie and kitten and I also made the switch to vegan just a few weeks ago. I am extremely upset with this. I will be sending a letter to the dean of the Human Sciences department and the president of the university.
Posted by: Tiffany | July 19, 2009 07:13 PM
@ Tiffany: Yeah! That's fantastic.
Posted by: Shawna Flavell | July 20, 2009 04:57 PM