Please send letter to the editor regarding UVA’s continual use of cats

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BACKGROUND

Regarding this alert, show the newspaper that you are passionate and serious about our mission and your dedication to attaining our ultimate, brilliant and wonderful, yet completely realistic and wholly attainable goal: to liberate and promptly rescue the cats of UV and see to it that the intubation lab is dismantled and closed forever with the cats replaced with far superior, purpose-built, anatomically correct neonatal simulators. Demand the respect you so rightly deserve! Ask “WHY” UVA stubbornly clings to this archaic, outdated, horribly cruel and utterly unnecessary method of educating its medical residents and refuses to accept and implement far superior, ethical and humane alternatives that are readily available thanks to modern scientific and medical technological advancement (as have 95% of North American medical schools)!? Please refer to our group’s “files” section where there are many educational and informative documents on all aspects of our fight and in defense of our argument for the implementation of neonatal simulators. Identify yourself as a member of this animal advocacy/activism group and include our link: http://www.facebook.com/groups/144828258983731/ so that upon publication other concerned and sympathetic, Daily Progress readers will be able to find us and join our ranks!

Help us raise momentum and keep it up by sharing your writing, ideas, suggestions and definitely any and all responses you receive! We are all an integral part of the birth and fruition of this grassroots animal liberation movement and we should inspire and encourage each other as well as share our knowledge and ideas…I plead with you to wholeheartedly participate.


WHOM TO CONTACT

Copy/paste the sample letter, or use your own words, in an email at this link: http://www2.dailyprogress.com/forms/letters-editor/


SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Editor,

I was shocked to learn of the suffering that has been inflicted upon untold numbers of cats for decades by the University of Virginia Medical School and the administration’s stubborn insistence on the continued use of live cats to teach pediatric intubation technique to inexperienced medical residents and EMTs. There are superior, humane, and readily available alternatives, such as the “neonatal simulator,” the Laerdal Neonatal Intubation Trainer. The archaic, inaccurate, and torturous teaching methods practiced currently at the intubation lab at UVA are obsolete, inhumane, and absolutely unacceptable.

As the founder of the growing group of animal advocates from all over the world who are appalled by these barbaric practices, we are committed to persuade UVA President, Teresa A. Sullivan and Steven T. DeKosky, MD, Dean of the UVA School of Medicine, to adopt the alternatives offered by modern scientific technology. We insist that they release into our custody the cats currently used for intubation technique training, and replace their medieval and inhumane intubation lab with purpose-built, anatomically correct neonatal simulators, as are currently in use for this purpose in 95% of North American universities.

128 university medical schools in the US have switched all of their programs to simulators, including neonatal simulators. A recent study has shown that use of simulators has resulted in a 45.5% increase in level of learning and perfection of technique, and 52.2% show the same level of learning and technique when compared to use of live subjects (canine and feline).

We are appalled that UVA would repeatedly put these animals through a procedure, up to twenty times a day, every day, causing them horrible trauma and stress. Furthermore, when done incorrectly, the procedure can cause serious injury to these poor animals.

Why would a prestigious and respected University such as UVA continue to use such archaic training methods when superior and humane alternatives exist? Where is the compassion in these scholars and doctors sworn to uphold the highest of ethics and to “do no harm?”

Animals are sentient beings, capable of thought and emotion, fear, pain, and suffering. We are pleading with the UVA Medical School administration and students to acknowledge these important characteristics shared by humans and animals. We must teach our medical students, who will be dealing with so much human illness and misery, to have a keen sense of empathy and sincere consideration for others’ suffering. Respect for life, compassion and concern for the welfare and right to live free of suffering are necessary qualities for our future health care providers.

Sincerely,

(your name), proud member of End the Suffering of Cats at the University of Virginia Medical School (http://www.facebook.com/groups/144828258983731/

(your city, state, country)

you are now a kitten,
lost and scared,
alone and nervous,
noone cares.
then a big two legs
grabs you and drags
you into his lab,
a tube shoved down
your throat,
as you writhe on
the slab.
the tables turned
this not so nice.
so UVA stop
doing it,
no need to think
twice!!!!!!

Karen Lyons Kalmenson