The mother cat was sliced up, her mouth wide open and her front paw hanging in the air. In front of her, arranged in a row as if they were nursing, were her six tiny fetuses. But then there was the cutline, an excerpt from which is printed below. The UAN member who contacted us was appalled at the newspaper for running this photo and, even more so, at the teacher for allowing these students to joke about dissection. Award to Roseman for creating a learning environment in which students are allowed to show a callous disregard for animal life with an insensitive nickname and celebratory photo.
Award is granted for statements or actions which promote the egregious abuse or misuse of animals.
Award and published numerous letters from readers who were upset about the photo. The newspaper also published an editorial stating that its purpose was to stir community discussion on the dissection issue. To further that discussion, UAN also sent a letter to Roseman and to the president of the local school board urging both to consider the use of alternatives to live animal dissection in the classroom. The letters included information about alternatives that are successfully being used in schools nationwide and which are available for free, on a lending basis, from The Science Bank at the American Anti-Vivisection Society. The latest from the Daily Quill is that they've had enough of the dissected cat issue.