education

FIRST ALTERNATIVES TRAINING

On the 20th of December 2004, I_CARE and APAR (The Alliance for the Protection of Animals in Romania) organized a public debate on the topic of humane education, followed by an alternatives training for teachers and students from life-science universities. The event took place at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine from Cluj-Napoca, Romania and about 40 participants were present.

The public debate was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Mihai Decun, the Head of the Department of Animal Hygiene and Animal Welfare from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Timisoara, Romania. Prof. Decun first presented the main concepts regarding animal welfare, then focused on the use of alternatives in research and education as a means to avoid animal suffering. He also spoke about the current Romanian legislation and objectives regarding the use of alternatives to animal experiments.

The second speech was made by Alina Bodnariu, who presented the main objectives of I_CARE and the alternative methods to animal experiments in education.

The public made enthusiastic comments on the topic of animal protection and on the use of alternatives in education. Reporters from Radio Cluj were also present at the debate and, thanks to them, our message reached a larger audience.

The debate was followed by an alternatives training where teachers and students had the opportunity to watch and practise computer simulations of animal experiments and to watch several recordings of dissections and vivissections. During the alternatives training, APAR representatives demonstrated the following CD-ROMs which contain computer simulations that could replace animal experiments in various departments from life-science faculties in Romania:

• Anatomy: Catworks, The Glass Horse, The Horse’s Foot, The Rat - a Functional Anatomy;

• Pathology: Veterinary Neuropathology Models;

• Pharmacology: Microlabs;

• Physiology: SimHeart, SimMuscle, SimNerve, SimPatch, Luprafisim.

Participants to the alternatives training had the opportunity to watch the following videos with recordings of dissections and vivissections:

• Anatomy: The Frog, The Rat;

• Surgery: Suture and suturing, Ovariohysterectomy in the Dog

I_CARE and APAR would like to thank Dr. Cristin Borda, the main organizer of the event, Prof. Dr. Mihai Decun, the most powerful voice who speaks for the benefit of animals in Romania, and all the participants who attended this event.

SECOND ALTERNATIVES TRAINING

On the 30^th of March 2005, I_CARE and APAR (The Alliance for the Protection of Animals in Romania) organized a presentation of alternatives to animal experiments in education, followed by an alternatives training for teachers and students from life-science universities. The event took place at the Faculty of Biology of Bucharest, Romania. About 50 participants were present - mainly teachers and students from the Faculty of Biology and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest.

The presentation began with a speech on humane education given by Alina Bodnariu, veterinarian, who presented the main objectives of I_CARE and the alternative methods to animal experiments in education. The second speech was given by Silviu Apostol, biologist and representative of SOFTWIN-Romania, who presented the Intuitext Interactive Lessons: Romanian CD-ROMs which contain virtual interactive biology experiments.

The presentation was followed by an alternatives training where teachers and students had the opportunity to watch and practise computer simulations of animal experiments. APAR representatives demonstrated the following CD-ROMs with computer simulations which could replace animal experiments in various departments from life-science faculties in Romania:

• Anatomy: The Glass Horse, The Horse's Foot, Anatomia Canis - Extremitas Cranialis, Anatomia Canis - Extremitas Caudalis, Catworks, The Rat, The Frog, Prodissector Frog;

• Physiology: PhysioEx, SimHeart, SimMuscle, SimNerve, SimPatch, Neurophysiology, Interactive Physiology - Urinary System, Luprafisim;

• Pathology: Veterinary Neuropathology Models, Veterinary Pathology;

• Pharmacology: Microlabs;

• Clinical skills: Animal Handling and Restraint.

I_CARE and APAR would like to thank the Faculty of Biology of Bucharest for hosting this event. We address special thanks to Conf. Dr. Carmen Strungaru, lecturer in Ethology, who offered us her support during the presentation and to Prof. Dr. Craciun, Head of the Department of Vertebrate Zoology, who offered us the computer simulation laboratory for the alternatives training.

A big thank you to all the teachers and students who attended this event and continue to help us take the message of humane education further!