Yes! Poland Stops Dismembering Animals in Military Trauma Training

Just in from Warsaw – the Polish Armed Forces have confirmed that live animals will no longer be cut open, mutilated or killed in archaic training exercises. This progressive decision comes as a result of two years of discussions with PETA and its international affiliates and almost 30,000 letters to Polish officials from concerned people through action alerts posted by PETA and its international affiliates.

Well done, everyone! This is wonderful news, both for Polish soldiers, who will now be trained for the battlefield using more effective modern human-like medical simulators, and for animals who will be saved from  these primitive exercises.

Poland’s move means that more than 80 per cent of NATO nations are now training service members without harming any animals, leaving only a handful of countries, including the UK and the US, still shamefully using animals.

Studies have repeatedly found that modern simulators that replicate human anatomy and physiology teach life-saving skills better than animal-based exercises, meaning that there is absolutely no excuse for shooting, stabbing and mutilating animals in military training. Despite this, we discovered that in 2012 British personnel travelled abroad to Denmark to participate in deadly exercises in which live pigs are lined up at a firing range and shot with high-velocity bullets. The terrified animals sustained life-threatening multi-organ injuries and bone fractures, and were later killed.

Today’s news shows that we can influence decision-makers at the highest levels by speaking out against cruelty. Please help us keep up the pressure on the few remaining EU countries that still maim and kill animals in military training – send a message to officials in Denmark and Norway today:

Image: Jo-Anne McArthur / WeAnimals.org