MILITARY: Groups decry use of pigs (PETA crazies alert)

NC Times ^ | August8, 2009 | Mark Walker

[jazusamo]

PETA planning protest at Camp Pendleton gate this week

Using live animals to train combat medics and others in how to deal with traumatic injuries is no longer necessary because of sophisticated medical mannequins and other training options, people opposed to the practice argue.

A group of doctors aligned under the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington contends it's not only unnecessary to use live animals, it's illegal, too. The group recently petitioned the Department of Defense to stop using animals, citing Army and Navy regulations.

"The use of vervet monkeys by the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense constitutes a clear violation of the Joint Regulation, as does the use of pigs and goats," the group wrote in a petition filed July 18 with the Defense Department.

Defense Department spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said the petition is under review.

The Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also object to the practice.

After learning that training involving anesthetized pigs is taking place in Valley Center for Camp Pendleton troops, PETA last month tried to convince county land-use officials to shut it down. That effort failed, and now the group says it plans a protest at the Main Gate into Camp Pendleton on Wednesday.

The company conducting the training for the Marine Corps, Deployment Medicine International, was founded in the mid-1990s. David Morehouse, its vice president for operations, has written a lengthy defense of using pigs and other animals, saying the training may be the only exposure troops get prior to seeing a war casualty. (Read the full text of his statement at "DMI Talking Point Paper").

"Every possible step is taken to ensure the animal feels no pain during the training," he wrote...

[jazusamo]

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington is a non profit organization and advocates for a vegan diet, it's pretty obvious they're in bed with PETA.

It's hard to know if this Dr. John Pippin is on the up and up because of his ties to PETA. Another medical doctor in Los Angeles, Dr. Jerry Vlasak is the spokesman for the Animal Liberation Front. The ALF is classified as a domestic terrorist group by the FBI and Vlasak says violence against humans is justified to stop the abuse of animals.

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon and donate if you haven’t done so!

[jazusamo]

PETA Ping!

[exDemMom]

PCRM is a branch of PETA (like Alan Guttmacher institute is a part of Planned Parenthood). I’m pretty sure that, even though there are no paper trails, ALF is also a branch of PETA.

They have no credibility at all.

[darkwing104]

I wonder what these clowns views regarding Abortions and Elderly care?

[SandRat]

Use PETA Members then.. problem solved.

[digger48]

They have to practice on pigs, ‘cause they most resemble the physiological characteristics of the common Liberal.

The common Liberal, being the ones who throughout history have, by their own pacifism and utopianism have intentionally put themselves in situations requiring them to be saved .

[jazusamo]

They have no credibility at all.

Well said.

[jazusamo]

Use PETA Members then.. problem solved.

That works for me, two probems solved. :)

[null and void]

Not a dupe, but earlier story here:

Doomed pigs used to teach first aid

[null and void]

They have to practice on pigs, ‘cause they most resemble the physiological characteristics of the common Liberal.

Some animals are more equal than others...

[OldMissileer]

If these moonbats ever see the medical documentation of the testing of thousands of pigs, goats, sheep, birds, and a myriad of other animals during the Crossroads Able and Baker nuclear tests their heads would explode.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for your post and link.

[fishergirl]

LOL! Good one!

[DieHard the Hunter]

> Use PETA Members then.. problem solved.

Use unlawful combatants instead, which will provide an even more realistic training opportunity. Solves the Gitmo problem handily, and saves the pigs for human consumption — which will still upset the PETA people. A win-win-win situation if ever there was one.

[Spok]

My son is stationed at Pendleton and claims this could all be resolved with lots of beer and a dungaree liberty, whatever that is(?)

[jazusamo]

LOL! Your son is right.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> a dungaree liberty, whatever that is(?)

Hmmm... Would a “dungaree liberty” involve off-duty time out-of-uniform, I wonder? One can’t imagine what mischief a bunch of liquored-up sailors in civvies might get up to...

[SandRat]

Well.. when we run out of residents of Club GITMO and PETA Memebers we can always use ACLU Memembers.

[vetvetdoug]

I helped necropsy the last surviving donkey from the Bikini Island test in 1983. The donkey died of old age. The USAF used goats to train combat medics while I was on active duty. I am sure the post training barbecue for the pigs is better than that of the goats.