Ever considered becoming a vet? If so, you may encounter some unexpected ethical dilemmas in your training. In this engaging interview, Dr. Erika Sullivan provides an intimate portrait of her veterinary school experience. An award-winning graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, Sullivan is concerned that many students still choose to practice surgical techniques on live animals. The animals are transported to the college, kept in the students’ care, later anesthetized, operated upon, and then killed. Where do the animals come from, and why are healthy animals being “euthanized”? Given that an alternative stream exists, why do the majority of students opt for the regular program? Which program provides the better learning experience? Dr. Sullivan answers these and other questions as we don our scrubs and tour the veterinary classroom. Invaluable to both potential students and the general public, Sullivan’s perspective is informed as much by science as compassion.

News links:

• China county orders dog cull after quake

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