Pakistan Bans Live-Animal Tests in Veterinary Training

The Pakistani government banned the use of live animals in testing and surgical veterinary trainings in the capital, Islamabad, and surrounding areas after PETA sent urgent letters to three colleges implicated in gory videos showing horrific scenes of reportedly abducted dogs subjected to invasive surgeries without receiving anesthetics. We also sent letters to the relevant Pakistani ministries in charge of professional education and veterinary training—and directly communicated our recommendations and broader animal testing concerns to the head of the prime minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU)—urging them to embrace humane simulation models and ban training methods on animals that aren’t medically necessary and don’t directly benefit the animals involved. The SRU agreed with us and initiated this landmark reform for animals.