Speaker Discusses Alternatives to Dissection

A sparse audience gathered Monday night in the Union Auditorium to learn about options to cutting up critters in class.

Jonathan Balcombe, assistant director of Education and Animal Research Issues with the Humane Society of the United States, gave a lecture on "Alternatives to Dissection and Live-Animal Experimentation in Education."

Carolina Animal Rights Effort, a UNC student group, sponsored the event.

Balcombe said alternatives are needed not only to prevent cruelty to animals, but also to accommodate students who object to dissection. "It is my feeling that current methods in life science education tend to undermine rather than encourage empathy toward animals," he said.

Balcombe said dissection creates many ethical concerns, especially regarding how the animals are put to death. He cited rough handling of animals and questionable embalming practices.

Balcombe also said too many animals are killed in the name of science. He said it is estimated that more than six million vertebrate animals are dissected each year in U.S. high schools alone.

CARE Co-chairwoman Kathleen Martin said dissection is not only about animal rights, but students' rights as well.

Balcombe said it is unethical not to provide an alternative method for students who choose not to dissect an animal.

He said dissection creates many social and academic dilemmas. "One concern is that students may be alienated from life sciences in general," Balcombe said.

He said dissection can cause potentially detrimental effects on the life sciences field because it might turn away more compassionate people. He said this could eventually create less sensitive people in medicine and nursing.

Balcombe also expressed concern about desensitization of students - dissection can sometimes lead to indifference toward the animal.

He said the main alternatives to dissection are CD-ROM, interactive computer programs and 3-D models. But Balcombe did acknowledge that these alternatives are not the same experience as dissection. "I advocate combining learning methods," he said.

Anne Hancock, a sophomore from Chevy Chase, Md., said she liked the lecture. "I have been a big animal rights advocate for a long time, and I think it is wonderful that the University supports this speaker as well as similar organizations," she said.

Balcombe said modern times call for a change. "It is time to discard old traditions and move into a time of respecting animals as well as students."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.