For Immediate Release:                                                       
Monday January 25, 2016

Vancouver, BC – In spite of concerns raised by humane education advocates, Langara Community College is planning to use animals, including domestic cats and rabbits, as part of its Biology 2350 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy class. The use of animals in dissection has been shown to desensitize students to the suffering of animals and erode their natural sense of empathy, compassion, respect for life and critical thinking. Some students even go on to avoid studies and careers in life sciences altogether because of harmful animal use. Yet many modern, innovative alternatives exist and have been implemented worldwide.

“Alternatives can help guarantee effective acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes. They offer pedagogical, scientific, ethical and economic advantages over harmful animal use, and give students access to and experience in tools that reflect best practice. Moreover, alternatives reconnect biology with its roots as the study of life”, stated Biologist Dr. Olivier Berreville, consultant to the Animal Defense and Anti-Vivisection (ADAV) Society of British Columbia and Canadian representative of the International Network for Humane Education.

“While more progressive institutions around the world have adopted humane alternatives to animal dissection, Langara College is choosing to use archaic, outdated teaching methods. The College needs to listen to its students and humane education advocates and bring an end to its harmful use of animals in dissection”, said Laura-Leah Shaw, Executive Director of ADAV.

Members of the ADAV Society have scheduled a demonstration at Langara College to bring attention to the harmful use of animals in dissection and call for an end to their use.

Where: Langara College, 100 West 49th, front entrance

When: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 from 12:30 – 2:00 pm

Contact:

Laura-Leah Shaw, Executive Director

The Animal Defense and Anti-Vivisection (ADAV) Society of British Columbia
P.O. Box 34553, 1268 Marine Drive
North Vancouver, BC, V7P 1T0, Canada
Email: ADAV Society

Phone: 604-551-9297

###