We are petitioning for the replacement of crude animal dissections taught in bioscience modules with some of the many humane and effective non-animal teaching methods available. These free and commercially available resources will save time, money and, unlike animal dissections, will allow students to repeat the dissection multiple times until they are familiar with the anatomy and confident with their abilities. By modernising the way in which the curriculum is taught we can ensure students progress into bioscience professions whilst upholding respect for animal life and ensuring that no animals are harmed.

If there are two ways to compelte a task- one that involves causing others harm and one that does not – the ethical decision is to choose
the latter. When discussing the ethics surrounding the dissection of animals, one must consider the animals themselves. All animals used for classroom dissection were once living and many were killed specifically for classroom use. Schools usually purchase them through biological supply companies, which may either breed and kill the animals themselves – typically after keeping them in barren cages for the entirety of their short lives – or acquire them from pet shops, abattoirs, or animal dealers. Even the use of animal parts (such as eyes and other organs) obtained from an abattoir, where animals have been killed for another purpose, reflects the notion that animals’ lives are expendable and have little value except insofar as they are useful to humans (PETA, 2018.)

This is a gross misconception, animals lives do not belong to us. They deserve their own lives. I chose not to dissect and I am asking my university to do the same.