Critical Points and Possibilities for Improve- ment in the Use of Equids in Modern Medicine

Abstract

Animals are commonly used for teaching and research. The use of equids for medicine is yet another case of animal use, given that the chain of raising, maintenance and use of equids is large, but almost forgotten. The objective of this paper is to present critical points of the raising and use of equids for modern medicine, as follows: the vision of animals as objects; the use of live animals involving low standards of welfare; the lack of technical official criteria to guarantee acceptable welfare degrees; the lack of transparency; as well as limitations of animal use and the lack of application of alternative methods. The vision of animals as subjects; the use of equids in accordance with high welfare standards; of- ficial technical criteria to guarantee acceptable welfare standards; transparency, and the perspective of using alternative methods are ways to address the identified critical points.