In 2016, we equipped three more departments with animal-free teaching materials, two of them in Ukrainian cities where we have not been active yet. The heads of the departments in Kiev, Krywyi Rih and in Zaporozhye received laptops, video projectors, computer programs, films and models from us and pledged to discontinue all animal experiments in the respective courses for good. A total of 1,585 frogs, rats and mice as well as 295 invertebrates such as earthworms, snails and crabs are now saved each year from an agonizing death. Our projects in Eastern Europe are carried out in cooperation with InterNICHE. 

Kryviyi Rih

Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University, Department of Zoology, Physiology and Human Hygiene

Nataliya Gritsay from the Rivne National Humanitarian University, with whom we had signed an agreement in 2016 recommended out project to Dr. Vladimir Strigunov, head of the Department of Zoology in Kryvyi Rih. At his department, most animal experiments had been replaced since Soviet times. With our help the remaining few should be stopped now.

It was our first project in Kriwyi Rih. Our project partner Dimitrij Leporskij from InterNICHE Ukraine visited the South Ukrainian city on 26^th Nov. 2016 and handed over a notebook and many films and computer programs for the simulation of anatomical and physiological studies. The agreement was signed and experiments on 155 vertebrates (70 frogs, 60 fish, 10 lizards, 10 mice, 5 birds) and 295 invertebrates (earthworms, snails, crabs and others) will now be discontinued. The experiments were mainly dissections. The frogs were decapitated with scissors and their nerves and muscles used to demonstrate their functions. That's history now.

Elena Komarova and Dr. Vladimir Strigunov of the Departent of Zoology, Physiology and Human Hygiene in Kryvyi Rih.

Kiew

Kyiv Medical State University, Department of Physiology, Medical Biology, Biologic Physics and Biochemistry

The Head of the Department, Prof. Alexander Polyakov, contacted us because he wanted to switch his courses to modern technologies. As reasons he gave were ethical on one hand – the respect for nature – and on the other hand economic reasons. Keeping and breeding of the animals is expensive and time consuming. Animal-free methods save time and money and they have pedagogical benefits because the experiments can be repeated endlessly.

On 26 December 2016, the department received from us a laptop, a video projector and numerous simulation programs and films. 720 animals (20 mice, 320 rats and 380 frogs) per year will now be saved. In addition to the common physiological experiments on the nerves and muscles of decapitated frogs, also various pathological conditions in rats were induced, such as hypoglycaemic coma, removal of the thyroid gland and severing of spinal nerves. This is over now.

Prof. Alexander Polyakov and teacher Svetlana Mavrich are happy about the donated animal-free teaching materials.

Zaporishia

Zaporizhia State Medical University, II-nd Medical Faculty, Department of Normal Physiology

Prof. Oksana Kushch contacted us via our trilingual website. She thought that humanity is paramount within the medical profession. Animal suffering and killing are contrary to a humane teaching. In addition, many medical students do not want to participate in the experiments, and on top of that they are expensive. So, she searched for alternatives and found our website.

Dimitrij Leproskij visited the department on 20 January 2017. A laptop, a video projector and numerous simulation programs were handed over and the contract was signed. Experiments on 710 animals (290 rats and 420 frogs) per year will now be stopped. The range of experiments is similar to that in Kiev.

Prof. Oksana Kushch and colleagues from Zaporishia University with the new hardware and software we have given to them.

We would be delighted to receive support for our projects in Eastern Europe >>

Further information Overview of the whole project (in German) >> Trilingual Website (German, Ukrainian, Russian)