HONOLULU — The Army on Friday was holding an exercise involving shooting live pigs and treating the gunshot wounds in training it says is critical to saving soldiers' lives but which has sparked outcry from animal-rights activists. The training, held at Schofield Barracks for Iraq-bound troops, is being conducted under a U.S. Department of Agriculture license and the careful supervision of veterinarians and a military Animal Care and Use Committee, said Maj. Derrick Cheng, spokesman for the 25th Infantry Division. "It's to teach Army personnel how to manage critically injured patients within the first few hours of their injury," Cheng said of the medical trauma training. FOXNews.com - Army to Shoot Live Pigs to Save Wounded Soldiers' Lives - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News I dunno about you, but this sort of exercise sickens me. It's bad enough they end up as bacon but I don't see the value in using live animals for this.
And when the pigs run out they'll use truthers, I bet boob tube America would love that. 'tis sickening.
Mmm, bacon. Thanks, I think I will make some for the family tomorrow for breakfast. Homer: Are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon? Lisa: No. Homer: Ham? Lisa: No. Homer: Pork chops? Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal. Homer: Heh heh heh. Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.
I just buy mine at the grocery. It sounds like they were doing it to help learn how to best handle a gun shot wound in battle. I would assume they are not simply filling a pig with bullets, but rather making a precise shot so that the soldiers training will have something to work with. What makes you think a pig would be riddled with bullets from the story above? They were not using them for target practice.
Given that most soldiers aren't really good shooters, a precise shot to them may come after many rounds.....unless of course they are snipers
They are not just shooting at random pigs wandering around. These pigs are anesthetized. I would assume they are probably immobilized and shot precisely in a specific location to aid in the training. I have not read anything about this that would cause me any concern. But I value a soldier in battle higher than a pig. If we have to sacrifice a pig, or subject him to a bullet to save a soldier wounded in battle it is a price I think it more than worth it.
While it is hard to swallow I do understand why they feel it might help in the field. I hate seeing any animal put through unnecessary pain, I just hope every effort is made to make the pain as minimal and short as possible.