The ban on using live ammunition to shoot animals is part of the draft National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, which was passed by the US Congress. This move ends a training method deemed outdated with the advent of injury simulation devices.
"This marks a major step forward in reducing unnecessary suffering in military operations. With today's advanced simulation technology, we can train combat medics to operate on the battlefield and minimize harm to animals," said Representative Vern Buchanan, a Republican who often focuses on animal protection and is a proponent of the ban, on 19/12.
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US soldiers train in casualty transportation in Alabama in 4/2022. Photo: US Army |
However, the Pentagon will continue to allow stabbing, burning, and blunt force trauma to animals for medical training, as well as testing the effects of weapons on animals, according to Buchanan's office.
A 2022 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) stated that pigs and goats are often used for injury management training because their organs and tissues are similar to humans, providing an opportunity for combat medics to practice treating casualties.
The GAO affirmed that animals used in training had been anesthetized beforehand. However, some groups, such as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, argue that anesthetized pigs and goats are not very helpful for training. They also assess that simulation devices depicting injured individuals groaning and writhing are far better.
"A living creature that they need to care for can offer a certain level of realism. However, simulating the sensation of a soldier being shot, bleeding, and still conscious is a different matter," said Erin Griffith, a former US Navy combat medic and member of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
According to the GAO, the fiscal year 2018 NDAA previously mandated the Pentagon to ensure the US military used simulation technology as much as possible, unless military medical commanders deemed the use of animals in training necessary.
Nguyen Tien (According to ABC News, AP, AFP, Reuters)
