Urge the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Université de Montréal to prioritize teaching practices to align with those recommended by the AAVMC
David Francoz, DVM
Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Université de Montréal
Administration
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Université de Montréal
Pavilion 3200, Sicotte Street - Wing A, Room 1108
Phone: 514 343-6111 #8682
Email: david.francoz@umontreal.ca
Dear Dr. Francoz,
We know effective veterinary student education is important to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Université de Montréal (FVM). We hope to meet with you to discuss how we might help FVM improve the current classes that involve the unnecessary killing of healthy animals for student education. We believe graduating students should be confident practitioners and surgeons. This means giving them ample opportunity for live tissue handling and post-anesthesia recovery—skills best obtained on patients who need procedures under the guidance of experienced veterinarians.
Our paper, “A Public Records Review of Cadaver and Terminal Animal Use in U.S. and Canadian Veterinary Schools,” was recently published in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.
We reviewed animal use protocols from every public veterinary school in the United States and Canada, including FVM. We evaluated the degree to which protocols adhered to the AAVMC Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Veterinary Education, which, as you know, recommend best practices for the use of animals in teaching. In particular, the AAVMC Guidelines stress using animals in ways that minimize harm while achieving student learning outcomes. For example, cadavers should be sourced ethically and humanely, alternatives to animals should be considered whenever possible, and teaching policies should emphasize that invasive procedures only be performed when there is a clear medical benefit to the animal.
Among the records we obtained from Université de Montréal were the following protocols:
· ENS 092: This protocol is for teaching anatomy to vet students. Up to 1 horse and 1 cow are requested per year. It appears that these animals are purchased and not slated for medical euthanasia.
· ENS 304: This protocol is for teaching exams, anesthesia, and necropsy to vet students. Up to 40 fish are requested per year. The fish are purchased and seem to be healthy.
· ENS 416: This protocol is for teaching surgery to vet students. Up to 12 pigs are requested per year for terminal surgeries, although the last renewal requested 9 animals. Pigs are sourced from a farm or abbatoir and do not seem to be slated for medical euthanasia.
· ENS 470: This protocol is for teaching small animal surgery techniques on cadavers to vet students. Up to 24 dogs are acquired from a biotech company. It is unclear if these dogs are slated for medical euthanasia or have merely no longer useful for research.
In evaluating animal use protocols from veterinary schools, we were impressed by the innovative and effective programs that schools have developed for teaching veterinary students, residents, and interns. These include programs that prioritize access to care by allowing students to perform medically necessary procedures on animals under the supervision of experienced instructors, robust willed-body programs, providing care to farmed animal sanctuaries, low- or no-cost castration clinics for horses, and providing services for farmed animal producers. We also saw many examples of schools integrating effective instructional tools, such as manikins, simulators, low- and high-fidelity models, and software, to enhance student learning as recommended by the AAVMC. The AAVMC Use of Animals in Veterinary Education Handbook provides an in-depth review of the benefits of these teaching methods, as well as practical advice on implementing them in veterinary school curricula.
We recognize that animals must be used in veterinary education; it is imperative that schools use them effectively while protecting our profession’s reputation as courageous advocates for animals. As a leader in veterinary education, your institution has a duty to uphold the highest standards of effective animal use, not only in practice but also in the training of future veterinarians. Therefore, we urge you to prioritize transitioning your schools’ teaching practices to align with the AAVMC's recommendations. We would welcome the chance to discuss this with you.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration of this matter. We believe that by embracing these effective changes, you will excel in training courageous, skilled, and confident veterinarians for the future.
Sincerely,
Crystal Heath, DVM
Co-Founder
Our Honor
