It’s disappointing that Chancellor Mark Wrighton, who has shared his home with cats and surely understands their kind and gentle nature, would allow Washington University to continue subjecting these sensitive animals to crude and painful medical training drills that do not help trainees learn how to properly intubate babies. Washington University has the dubious distinction of being the last remaining medical facility in the country to continue using cats for teaching this procedure, yet published studies show that human simulation methods are pedagogically superior to using animals.

 As an alumnus, I will not donate any money to Washington University—despite its repeated requests—as long as it stubbornly insists on clinging to barbaric training procedures on cats. 

Shalin G. Gala
Washington University B.A. in Anthropology, ‘03
Laboratory Methods Specialist
Laboratory Investigations Division
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)