Welfare of Animals Used in Medical and Veterinary Education

Animals used in medical and veterinary training face welfare harms that replacement technologies are increasingly able to prevent.

Key Facts

Millions of animals are used annually in global veterinary and medical education — frogs, dogs, pigs, and cats among them
Terminal experiments (where the animal is killed) remain common in some veterinary curricula worldwide
Replacement technologies include high-fidelity simulators, cadaveric models, and virtual reality systems
The US and EU have seen significant declines in animal use in education as replacement tools improve
Some countries still require compulsory animal use in medical education despite student objections
Student objection policies — allowing conscientious objection without academic penalty — are not universal
Studies show students trained on simulators perform as well as or better than those trained on live animals in many procedures

Welfare Considerations

The use of live animals in education is harder to justify as replacement technologies mature. High-quality surgical simulators, perfused organ models, and VR training platforms provide realistic skill development without welfare costs. Evidence that these replacements produce inferior graduates is largely absent — in many studies, simulator-trained students outperform live-animal-trained peers on first clinical cases. Welfare improvements require curriculum reform, investment in replacement technologies, and institutional cultures that normalise alternatives. Student objection rights without academic penalty are an important interim protection.

What You Can Do

Support medical and veterinary schools that have adopted replacement technologies
Advocate for universal student conscientious objection policies in educational animal use
Support organisations like NAVS that campaign for replacement technologies in education
Donate to development of high-fidelity surgical simulators
Choose veterinary practices and medical providers who trained at institutions with strong replacement programs