Do all veterinary schools kill practice animals?
It’s common, though not universal, to use large animals in the training of people surgeons as well. For a surgeon, there are substantial advantages to having a live animal to practice on that can’t be duplicated with a cadaver. Practicing in a ‘low-stakes’ environment with an animal specifically intended to be sacrificed at the conclusion of the procedure helps the surgeon to do better in an environment where human life or the value of a more beloved or economically valuable animal is at stake. As for housing the animals in a yard, outside, with contact with people, I have to say that sounds relatively nice for the animals; during their lifetimes they sound fairly well cared for, and also that you seem to live in a country without a particularly aggressive animal rights movement. That an animal can be both a site of emotional attachment and a tool can be unsettling, but as a vet student I’m sure you have encountered or will encounter it in other contexts. Consider the relationships tha
