Is this considered cruelty to animals? My school allows this?

[anonymous]

So in my school, the junior biology classes are required to dissect rats. Standard enough, but it has become a trend to decapitate the dead rat and pose with the head in a picture. I find this disgusting because even though theyre dead, I think people should respect the animals body. Dissecting for the purpose of learning is fine, but doing it for the hell of it should be wrong. My school is very strict about stupid things like uniform but they have no rules against this and do not stop the students from posting these pictures. Do you guys think I am being too sensitive, or should I try and petition to ban this act? My school is really strict especially about social media, if you every bad mouth the school, teachers or anything its an automatic suspension and possible expulsion, so it annoys me that they tolerate the rat picture trend. Any suggestions on what to do are welcome, I live in Ontario, Canada if that helps

[Amer]

Da fuk doe?!?!?!?!

[Cody Andrew Myers]

I would right a note to your teacher anonymously

[Violet]

I've seen articles and photos of that type of stuff and i'm absolutely disgusted by it, i know a lot of people don't care and say it's just a rat and it's dead but i agree with you i think it's awful, very sad. There's no need for it, when are you going to find yourself needing to dissect a small rat in adulthood? if i could start a petition i would, i think it's wrong.They were once a living thing that had a life and should be respected, rats and mice are very intelligent even though they may be small.That's why I'm glad i'm home schooled. I hope you can figure out what to do, sorry i couldn't be of more help but i'm sure if you google opening a petition you should find some helpful pages.

[Violet]

It is VERY bad! And bad for your school. If the pictures are being posted online, your school should be prepared for a PETA attack.

I work in a lab (I'm in college) and they use many rats for science experiments. In fact while I was in there the other day, they had to kill a rat very interesting process however. They put him under anesthesia and then the doctor injected some yellow like liquid into the rats small intestines (while he's completely asleep) and then makes a small incision in the chest and puts a scissors in the chest cavity and then cuts the heart up to ensure it's dead.

Anyway, I'd talk to the head of the school or your teacher at least. The outcome of posting those pictures online could be veryyyy bad.

[KYRAWR]

It's not considered cruelty, because the animal is already dead. However, it is disrespectful and immature and I would report it to your teacher/school either anonymously or through e-mail or even face-to-face if it bothers you.
I don't believe that you are being to sensitive, it's sad and rude for them to do this. I would recommend reporting it, and really nobody has to know that it was you who reported it.
At my school in anatomy kids would dissect cats, and similar to your situation would then pose with it and take pictures or decapitate them and be very disrespectful. It offends me, and makes the school look bad too that kids can get away with this.
I'm going to college for veterinary medicine this coming Fall, and the reason I did not take anatomy in High School was because of the immature kids in the class. I'm taking it in college, as hopefully future veterinarians looking to a successful future will be more adult about it.

I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this, I totally know how you feel too. Don't worry, because this just means that you are a sensitive and genuinely good human being.

[Sharon]

Because many students these days are so against vivisection many schools are now offering alternatives. Being that the animals are already dead this could not be qualified as animal cruelty but, it is sick and beyond immature. Being that your school is so sensitive about image I would start with a chat with your biology teacher. Point out that this is not exactly good press.

[Frankie Hyenadog]

It is not cruelty because the animal is already dead. But it is disgusting and disrespectful to the animal who has died in order for the students to learn from it.

I would send a letter to your school about it. And possibly to the teachers running the classes in which this happens.