Ethical collection of animal cadavers for veterinary education
2025
Edwin Louis-Maerten | David M. Shaw
Abstract The use of animal cadavers in initial and continuing veterinary education is widely accepted, but ethical considerations regarding how to obtain and use them are often lacking. It can be argued that the use of animal cadavers should be guided by principles similar to those regulating the collection of human cadavers for scientific purposes. In humans, the use of unclaimed cadavers from unknown provenance, cadavers from criminals or homeless people, or cadavers robbed from their grave no longer happens in most countries. Accordingly, body donation programs have been emphasized to be the sole acceptable source of cadavers for medical education. The purpose of this article is to argue that this should also be the case for domestic animals, contrary to the current practices of using unwanted animals or animals bred for this purpose. But having a body donation program is not enough to make it ethical: care should also be taken in order to include principles such as informed consent from the owners, the absence of commercial uses of the bodily remains and the respect for all parties involved in the process. Overall, the importance of maintaining respect towards the reception and use of a donated cadaver in all circumstances should be the ethical priority for students and practitioners. By applying such principles, we can better ensure that the use of animal cadavers in education and training is transparent, respectful and responsible.
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