MoD Defends Pig Surgery Training Exercises

The Ministry of Defence has been forced to defend sending Army surgeons for training which involves them operating on live pigs shot by marksmen.

The controversial drills, which take place at a Nato facility in Denmark, have been condemned by animal rights groups as "impossible to justify medically, ethically and educationally".

But an MoD spokesman said: "This training provides invaluable experience, exposing our surgical teams to the specific challenges posed by the injuries of modern armed conflict.

"This training has helped save lives on operations and by participating in the Danish exercises we minimise the overall number of animals used."

The MoD added that the practice, formerly known as Operation Danish Bacon, would not be illegal in the UK, where approval would be granted on a case-by-case basis from the Home Office.

The Government suspended British participation in the surgical training exercises in the summer of 1998 after they were brought to the attention of ministers.

But the courses were reinstated after it was determined there was "no equally effective alternative" and that it was "entirely appropriate and, indeed necessary" for military surgeons to carry out training on animals.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) described the procedure as "invasive and deadly".

Claiming it would be illegal in the UK, Peta called for life-like dolls that "breathe" and "bleed" to replace the use of live animals.

Mimi Bekhechi, associate director for Peta UK, said: "The overwhelming majority of the UK's Nato allies do not shoot, stab and dismember animals for their military training exercises.

"The Ministry of Defence's decision to ship out members of the armed forces for deadly and cruel exercises in Denmark - which would be illegal if conducted in the UK - is impossible to justify medically, ethically and educationally."

Eighteen pigs were used in the most recent tests earlier this month, according to The Mail On Sunday.

They reportedly had circles drawn on their underbellies before a sniper team fired shots intended to damage the organs but not to kill.

Surgeons then treated them as they would battle zone casualties, apparently keeping the pigs alive for two hours before they were put down.

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