The United States Department of Defense is set to halt a long-standing and controversial practice: shooting live animals to train military medics for combat zones. This significant policy change, embedded within the latest annual defence bill, will see the military cease using pigs and goats as targets for "live fire" trauma exercises.
From Live Animals to Advanced Simulation
The move marks a historic shift towards modern, human-relevant technology. The prohibition specifically targets training where animals are shot to simulate gunshot wounds suffered by troops. The defence department has stated that this practice has been made obsolete by sophisticated simulators that can accurately mimic the horrific injuries encountered on the battlefield.
Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan from Florida, a co-chair of the Animal Protection Caucus, championed the ban. He hailed the change as "a major step forward in reducing unnecessary suffering in military practices." In a statement, Buchanan emphasised that today's advanced simulation technology allows medics to be effectively prepared without harming animals.
Limits of the New Ban and Ongoing Practices
However, the new legislation does not represent a complete end to the military's use of animals for training and testing. The defence department will continue to permit other procedures, including:
- Stabbing and burning animals for trauma training.
- Using blunt instruments on animals.
- "Weapon wounding," where weapons are tested on animals.
Animal rights groups note that, according to protocol, the animals are supposed to be anesthetised during such training and testing sessions. The Defence Health Agency, which oversees the training, reiterated its commitment to replacing animal models where possible without compromising the quality of medical preparation for combat.
Reaction and the Push for Human-Based Methods
Organisations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) declared a victory, stating the change will spare thousands of animals each year. They view it as a pivotal move towards ethical, state-of-the-art training.
The exact frequency of animal use in military training remains unclear. However, a 2022 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) outlined a longer legislative push to reduce reliance on animals. This included a 2013 defence bill requiring a strategy for human-based methods and a 2018 statute mandating the use of simulation technology "to the maximum extent practicable."
The GAO report explained that animals like pigs and goats are used because their organ and tissue structure is similar to humans, offering biological variation. The animals are placed under anesthesia and euthanised post-procedure. Yet, critics like the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine argue that anesthetised animals are poor substitutes for treating awake, distressed human casualties. They advocate for "cut suits" worn by people, which better replicate the reality of a wounded, responsive soldier.
Retired navy doctor Erin Griffith summarised the counter-argument: "Replicating what it’s like when their buddy is shot and bleeding and awake is very different." While the ban on shooting live animals is a landmark decision for animal welfare advocates, the debate over the most effective and humane training methods for saving soldiers' lives continues.
