Donetsk Medical University
Depratment of Physiology
In the summer of 2011, gruesome images of tortured dogs kept in unspeakable conditions at Donetsk Medical University circulated on the internet. According to media reports, dogs were being operated on by students in a surgery course under incomplete anaesthesia. When we learnt about this, we immediately took action. After several unsuccessful attempts to make contact, we finally received a response a year later. Igor Zinkovich, the new rector, showed an interest in humane education. The first thing he did was to close the dog kennels. The horrific dungeons in the internet pictures are now history. Nevertheless, countless rats and frogs were still tortured to death in horrific experiments.
When our project partner Dimitrij Leporskij visited the University of Donetsk for the first time in October 2012, his presentations to several heads of departments aroused interest. However, not all heads of departments were willing to change their curriculums.
The head of the Department of Physiology, Valery Kazakov, agreed to change his course to animal-free with our help. If things go smoothly, other departments will (hopefully) follow suit.
In this department alone, an almost unbelievable number of animals fall victim to completely outdated education: 4,400 frogs, 600 rats, 180 rabbits and 60 guinea pigs every year. The frogs‘ heads are cut off with scissors while they are still alive in order to demonstrate the functions of the organs on the animals’ muscles, nerves, heart and intestines.
At the end of December 2012, Dimitrij (right) brought the materials we had donated to Donetsk to sign the agreement: a laptop, a multi-media projector, some training models and a large number of computer programmes and videos. 5,240 animals are now saved from an agonising death every year.
We hope that more departments of Donetsk Medical University will follow this positive example.
This project was made possible thanks to a donation of Tierschutz-Stiftung Wolfgang Bösche. Many thanks!
Release of frogs
Ten frogs that had already been captured for being killedat the Department of Physiology of the Donetsk Medical University were released to a pond. These frogs had survived the cold season in winter torpor and were released in May 2013. Now the frogs can enjoy their newly won freedom in a beautiful pond.
