Vet colleges to accept terminally ill, dead animals for dissection

Veterinary colleges in Karnataka will henceforth accept donation of animals which are terminally ill or have died a natural death instead of waiting for their carcasses. Veterinary colleges are preparing a financial proposal to place before the state government seeking funds to improve faculties to implement ethical cadaver sourcing and preservation of animals for veterinary training.

Prof S Yethiraj, dean of Veterinary College, Bengaluru, said that earlier they would wait for a deceased animal or seek permission from pet owners to conduct clinical trials on animals that came for treatment.

The idea is to reduce the number of live animals being used for training. Apart from increasing awareness on the matter, there is also a need to improve facilities like having a cold room, reservation room, back-up power and so on.

Out of the 34 veterinary colleges in India, Karnataka has five. Every year, veterinary colleges need 10-15 animals for educational purposes. Colleges were forced to wait till they got a specimen.

Dr Manilal Valliyate, director (veterinary affairs) of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), said that on August 12 this year, the Central government made it mandatory for all veterinary colleges to switch to body donation within a year.

To explain the modalities of the Central government notification, a workshop was held for veterinarians in Bengaluru on August 26, where different techniques were discussed to improve facilities to accept and store animals for cadaver dissection.

Earlier, too, the government had directed colleges to stop the use of frogs in schools and colleges for dissection. After this, students were being taught online.

But now after the new notification, citizens will be able to donate their pets suffering from terminal illness or where euthanasia needs to be done to veterinary colleges for training (similar to human body donation). People can even donate ailing roadside animals like dogs, cats, sheep, goats and cattle.