Outrage as scientists bury pigs in snow to see how they die

[Tender Branson]

By Veronika Oleksyn in Vienna

PROTESTS from animal activists have forced scientists temporarily to halt research that involved burying pigs in snow and monitoring their deaths.

The two-week experiment, in the western Austrian Alps, was trying to determine what factors made it possible for humans to survive an avalanche in an air pocket until rescued, without suffering permanent brain damage.

Hermann Brugger, co-director of the work, led by the Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine in Bolzano, Italy, and the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria, had asserted that the pigs did not suffer because they were sedated beforehand.

But activists called it cruel and pointless.

A total of 29 animals had been selected for the tests, but after protests yesterday, Herbert Lochs, director of the Innsbruck centre, confirmed the experiment had been halted temporarily.

Johanna Stadler, of the group Four Paws, said: "It is absolutely unacceptable these highly sensitive, helpless animals are killed for such an unnecessary test."

Gerda Matias, president of the International Union of Animal Experiment Opponents, said: "People are shocked and outraged that such cruel experiments can even be carried out in Austria."

In a statement on the Medical University of Innsbruck website, organisers said the experiment was ethically justifiable and had been approved by a commission in Austria's science and research ministry.

Mr Brugger said the study could help humans survive an avalanche and stopping now would mean those pigs that had already died did so in vain.

http://news.scotsman.com/world/Outrage-as-scientists-bury-pigs.5984870.jp

[dead0man]

If they have a legit study to do that will help humans in any way then I'm willing to let science kill a few pigs while they are asleep.  The sheep that is.  If the scientists are asleep I suspect the science might not be very good.

[Sewer]

What the fuck?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I hope like hell they had some chops, tenderloing and ham afterward...........

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

I hope like hell they had some chops, tenderloing and ham afterward...........

Stressed meat has the reputation to be less good, but well, that would be a double usefulness.

If the study is proven to be very useful and if very isn't other means, both things that I don't know, then why not.

About animal activists in Austria:

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/acdc-a-bird-risk-in-austria/story-e6frfn09-1225813680637

[k-onmmunist]

Just... why?

[J. J.]

Pass the barbecue sause.   

[JSojourner]

If they have a legit study to do that will help humans in any way then I'm willing to let science kill a few pigs while they are asleep.  The sheep that is.  If the scientists are asleep I suspect the science might not be very good.

Pretty much.  I don't approve of torturing animals to perfect the right shade of a new kind of makeup, but if we're talking about saving human lives...as long as care is take to minimize the animal's suffering where practicable...I am supportive.

This isn't clubbing baby seals.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This isn't clubbing baby seals.

No, it's far harder to defend than clubbing baby seals.

[Bo]

While it's a shame pigs are killed in this experiment, millions of pigs are killed every day for their meat? How is that any better? At least this experiment was for science.

[k-onmmunist]

This isn't clubbing baby seals.

No, it's far harder to defend than clubbing baby seals.

True. At least the seals are clubbed for a decent reason.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Pass the barbecue sauce.   

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This isn't clubbing baby seals.

No, it's far harder to defend than clubbing baby seals.

True. At least the seals are clubbed for a decent reason.

Yes, the Newfie is far more endangered than the Seal.

[John Dibble]

This isn't clubbing baby seals.

No, it's far harder to defend than clubbing baby seals.

True. At least the seals are clubbed for a decent reason.

Trying to find a way to save human lives isn't a decent reason?

[Bo]

This isn't clubbing baby seals.

No, it's far harder to defend than clubbing baby seals.

True. At least the seals are clubbed for a decent reason.

Trying to find a way to save human lives isn't a decent reason?

It is a decent reason in my opinion.

[Holmes]

Oh please, those activists only targeted scientists because they're an easy target compared to a butcher factory. Everyone has to have their meat, but the average person doesn't care about avalanche survival, despite the latter being more important.

Besides, do I see a correlation between the size of the guinea pig and public outcry? We inject rats with things like cancerous cells and incompatible proteins all the time. We breed fruit flies, starve them and have them reproduce all the time because of their very short generation time.

[Sbane]

This seems reasonable. This kind of research could potentially save lives and the pork you eat at home is probably more tortured than these creatures.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

This seems reasonable. This kind of research could potentially save lives and the pork you eat at home is probably more tortured than these creatures.

Exactly.

[bgwah]

This seems reasonable. This kind of research could potentially save lives and the pork you eat at home is probably more tortured than these creatures.

Or you could act like a civilized human being and not support either! *gasp*

[MaxQue]

Oh no, another veggie trying to impose his ideas.

Sorry, I think than this is useful. Skiers worth more than pigs.

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

Skiers worth more than pigs.

Other useful thing being of course the education of skiers, actually.

[Tender Branson]

The Brits apparently do the same stuff:

Live pigs blasted in terror attack experiments

LIVE pigs are being blown up with explosives at Porton Down, the government’s secret military research laboratory, to simulate the effect of terrorist attacks on civilian targets.

In a series of tests at the biological and chemical research centre in Wiltshire, 18 large pigs were wrapped in protective blankets before bombs were detonated a few feet away. The scientists allowed the pigs to bleed until almost a third of their blood was gone to see how long they could be kept alive.

MPs and animal welfare groups have questioned the use of live animals in the explosions, even though the pigs were anaesthetised throughout. None survived the experiments.

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, said: “These are revolting and unnecessary experiments. Sadly, we are too familiar with the effects of terrorism. It is perfectly possible to find out things we don’t know without blowing up pigs to find out.”

Research papers, obtained by The Sunday Times, show that the experiments at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory were carried out because “blast injuries are an increasing problem, owing to the widespread terrorist threat”.

The blasts were meant to recreate the effect of an explosion in an enclosed space, such as the July 2005 attacks on the Underground and a double-decker bus in London, and had been designed to help medics control haemorrhaging from victims.

The pigs were wrapped in Kevlar blankets to protect them from minor bomb debris and placed less than three yards from the explosive. Before being blown up, they had tubes inserted into their blood vessels and bladders, and their spleens removed. A major blood vessel in the abdomen had a wire put into it so the vessel was lacerated during the blast.

Porton Down said the research programme would help British soldiers exposed to bombs in Afghanistan as well as potential civilian terror casualties. Up to 94% of critically injured victims of the 2004 Madrid train bombings were identified as suffering from “blast lung”, an injury that leaks over time.

A spokeswoman said that anecdotally there was already evidence that the research was helping to save lives.

“This work is part of our broad combat casualty care programme. Anecdotally, we are seeing evidence of people surviving because of this work,” she said.

Porton Down, originally set up to research chemical warfare during the first world war, uses a special breed of white pig that has skin resembling human flesh.

Scientists at the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection questioned the validity of the tests, saying that the effect on an anaesthetised pig of a bomb blast would “differ substantially from those of a conscious human being”.

A spokesman said: “We understand the need to deal with the human tragedy, of which sadly there are too many cases. However, we do not believe that mutilating pigs in these horrific experiments is the answer.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6999916.ece

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I would happily replace a pig with Norman Baker for the purposes of those experiments.