A new report released by the Animal Alliance of Canada Fund reveals that Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND) has expanded its use of live piglets in military trauma training. The piglets are subjected to amputations, organ wounds, induced hypothermia, and exposure to chemical agents, despite Ottawa’s commitments to modernizing the Armed Forces. The DND withheld 569 pages of records, including all photographs, videos, and anesthesia logs, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Key Highlights #
- DND expanded use of live piglets in trauma training, inflicting severe injuries such as amputations, eye injuries, crush injuries, and induced hypothermia.
- 569 pages of records, including anesthesia logs, were withheld in response to Access to Information requests.
- Canada is among a minority of NATO nations still using animals for military medical training, despite anatomical differences making pigs poor models for human injuries.
- Human-relevant trauma training simulators like Caesar and SimMan are widely available and preferred in many militaries and medical schools.
Statements #
The decision to withhold every anesthesia log raises serious questions about transparency and accountability, particularly when those same records previously exposed extreme animal suffering the department had failed to prevent.
Animal Alliance of Canada Fund
By ending live animal trauma training, embracing advanced simulation technologies, and committing to transparency and independent oversight, the DND can align itself with contemporary medical standards and reaffirm Canada’s commitment to humane, evidence-based practice.
Animal Protection Party of Canada
About the Organizations #
Animal Alliance of Canada Fund is a Canadian organization advocating for animal protection, ethical treatment, and the promotion of non-animal research methods. Animal Protection Party of Canada is a political party dedicated to advancing animal rights and welfare through legislative and policy changes.