US Military to Stop Shooting Goats as a Way to Train Medics

The US military will stop its practice of shooting pigs and goats to help prepare medics for treating wounded troops in a combat zone, ending an exercise made obsolete by simulators that mimic battlefield injuries. The prohibition on "live fire" training that includes animals is part of this year's annual defense bill, although other uses of animals for wartime training will continue. The ban was championed by Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Florida Republican who often focuses on animal rights issues, reports the AP. Buchanan called the change "a major step forward in reducing unnecessary suffering in military practices."

Buchanan's office said the Defense Department will continue to allow training that involves stabbing, burning, and using blunt instruments on animals, while also allowing "weapon wounding," which is when the military tests weapons on animals. Animal rights groups say the animals are supposed to be anesthetized during such training and testing. The Defense Health Agency, which oversees the training, said in a Dec. 19 statement that the Defense Department, "remains committed to replacement of animal models without compromising the quality of medical training."

The agency cited the establishment of its Defense Medical Modeling and Simulation Office as a testament to those efforts, which include "realistic training scenarios to ensure medical providers are well-prepared to care for the combat-wounded." Groups such as PETA declared victory, saying the change will spare the lives of thousands of animals each year, though it's unclear how often the military uses animals for training. A 2022 report from the Government Accountability Office noted "live animals such as pigs and goats are used in trauma training because their organs and tissues are similar to humans."

The GAO report stated the animals are placed under anesthesia and then euthanized. But groups such as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine say anesthetized pigs and goats do little to prepare medics or corpsmen for treating wounded servicemembers. They said the advent of "cut suits" that are worn by people are much better at mimicking an injured human who is moaning and writhing. "The big argument is this is a living, breathing thing that they have to take care of and there's this level of realism," said Erin Griffith, a retired Navy doctor and member of the physicians committee. "But replicating what it's like when their buddy is shot and bleeding and awake is very different."