Humane Science Education Grows By Nicole Green
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stablished in 1990, Animalearn, In addition to The Science Bank, Anithe education division of AAVS, malearn also created its popular Animal strives to promote humane science Profile Kits in 2007. These colorful fact education, and has been working sheets can be downloaded free from Aniwith students, parents, and educators to fos- malearn’s website, and include puzzles and ter an awareness and respect for animals for interesting facts about the most commonly over twenty years. With modest beginnings dissected animals: earthworm, crawfish, founded in local grassroots efforts, Animarat, pig, cat, and, most recently, dog. The learn now speaks to international goal of these educational kits is to audiences and conducts workinstill in younger students a betshops at national teacher conferter appreciation and respect for ences, yet remains dedicated to these exploited animals. working one-on-one with educaLikes on Animalearn’s tors and students in finding more Students have Facebook effective non-animal methods to a Choice page teach and study science. Since 2000, five states have In an effort to better meet enacted student choice laws: these needs, in 1996 AnimaleIllinois (2000), Virginia (2004), arn launched The Science Bank Oregon (2005), New Jersey (TSB), a free lending library of (2006), and Vermont (2008), Alternatives available in alternatives to dissection and while Massachusetts and New The Science other harmful uses of animals Mexico have instituted educaBank in the classroom, covering all tion policies. Animalearn proeducation levels. Demonstrating vided assistance to all of these the growing interest in alternaefforts by distributing informatives, the past decade has seen tion to legislators and informIncrease from enormous growth in The Sciing constituents. Animalearn 2007-2008 in ence Bank, and it now houses also teamed with Lynette Hart, Science Bank over 500 alternatives, including Ph.D., from UC Davis Ceninquiries realistic models, CD-ROMs, ter for Animal Alternatives, to and life-like mannikins to help develop a template for students who want to initiate student students learn without harming choice policies at their universianimals. Additionally, the numScience Bank ties. This project was presented ber of loan requests Animalearn inquiries in as a poster at the 2007 World has received has also increased 2010 Congress on Alternatives and tremendously, especially since Animal Use in the Life Sciences, TSB’s 10th anniversary in 2006. and was also published in the For example, from 2007-2008, science journal ALTEX. loans increased 50 percent, and in 2009 Additionally, to honor those indithey increased another 25 percent, reachviduals who have made a difference for ing over 2,100 requests. However, 2010 animals used in education, Animalearn was TSB’s most impressive year, fulfilling created the annual Humane Student and over 3,200 loan requests!
14,875
500
50%
3,200
Teacher of the Year Awards as a part of The Science Bank’s 10th anniversary. Animalearn’s first student recipient was high school student Laura Dixon, who provided testimony supporting New Jersey’s student choice legislation.
Dying to Learn Over the past decade, Animalearn has had an influx of Science Bank requests from college students. In response, a twoyear investigation to learn more about animal use at universities was launched, and the compilation of this effort was published in 2009 in “Dying to Learn: Exposing the supply and use of dogs and cats in higher education.” Among other findings, Animalearn revealed that some dogs and cats used in student labs are former pets and acquired through pound seizure and random source Class B dealers. “Dying to Learn” received widespread media attention, and its findings helped lead to institutional policy changes at schools, including Michigan State University. Additionally, Animalearn also presented “Dying to Learn” to the 7th World Congress in Italy. The report is available online at www.DyingToLearn.org. AV Learn more about Animalearn and The Science Bank by visiting www.Animalearn.org.
AV Magazine
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