Our Army Shoots Live Pigs For Practice!

**COUNTRYBUMPKIN** · 11-19-2008, 04:39 AM

http://www.naturalnews.com/024856.html

In my opinion, this is so unethical. Good for the one who tipped off PETA!

**joyofsix** · 11-19-2008, 06:54 AM

Um, farm girl here. I really don't care about the pigs but it is a huge waste when food banks are bare shelved. *note I didn't read the article, just my gut reaction here.

**InDiAnNa** · 11-19-2008, 07:22 AM

Farm girl here too. I have no problem with the practice of it, but I'd prefer that the pigs were then humanly slaughtered and used for human consumption once they had served their original purpose. Just seems wasteful to not do that. But then again we don't actually know if this happens because the article didn't say.

The problem I have with those that find this unethical or cruel or whatever is this: The fact is, nothing that is not living can replace the experience these soldiers need. Will you volunteer yourself, your children, your family, to take the place of these pigs to spare them? Nah. didn't think so.

**Dancing Lotus** · 11-19-2008, 07:38 AM

Sorry but I think this article is junk news. I love three army soldiers and none of them have ever heard of such a thing. One of them is an army medic who served in the war twice.

**Buc-O-Mama** · 11-19-2008, 09:05 AM

From my recollection of listening to corpsmen or medics back when DH was in the military, part of the training was them caring for the animals that they would be treating for a period of time before this would happen. They wanted them to form a bond with the animals to simulate the bond of treating your buddies in battle. I think like one of the people that we knew back then had actually participated in this sort of training, and from what I understand most of the animals were treated and recovered. They were emotionally attached to the animals though, and disliked the whole experience.

**McD** · 11-19-2008, 09:14 AM

Personally, I think it's a great idea. I was a medic in the Army and I can tell you that I think the hands-on experience this gives is needed.

I'd prefer to have dead pigs over dead soldiers.

**Natalie** · 11-19-2008, 09:16 AM

EEks. If they're going to shoot them, clean 'em up and send 'em to the food banks!

**The Muse** · 11-19-2008, 09:20 AM

I first heard about this a few months ago and I think it's horrible. Of course, I am a card carrying member of PETA

**MomToTwoBoys** · 11-19-2008, 10:43 AM

What happened, did they run out of paper targets?

When I went through rifle range qualifications, we had to stand down under the bunker and man the rifle range targets. I don't ever remember using animals for anything.

I'd rather shoot a piece of paper than a defenseless animal.

**Greebo** · 11-19-2008, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

What happened, did they run out of paper targets?.

You can't very well triage a piece of paper.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 11-19-2008, 11:02 AM

Sure you can. Put a piece of tape on it and it's fixed!

I didn't read the link and thought that they were talking about putting pigs out on the firing line and shooting them for regular practice.

So if this is about triage, why don't they use a dummy like the one in Grey's Anatomy that was able to tell them what was wrong with them and all that?

**Greebo** · 11-19-2008, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

So if this is about triage, why don't they use a dummy like the one in Grey's Anatomy that was able to tell them what was wrong with them and all that?

Dummies don't die if you don't do a good job.

**shoiji** · 11-19-2008, 11:26 AM

While shooting a defenseless animal seems very heartless, one has to remember that in combat humans are shooting at humans.

**McD** · 11-19-2008, 11:40 AM

When I went thru my medic training in 2004, we did use the dummies. It's still not enough. The pigs are a great way to get hands on training. I think it's a great program.