Animal Donor Codicil now available in eastern Netherlands
8 years agoAfter five successful years in the region around Utrecht, Proefdiervrij (the Dutch Society for the Replacement of Animal Testing) and Utrecht University are expanding the use of the Animal Donor Codicil to the eastern regions of the Netherlands. Animal owners there will now have the opportunity to donate their deceased pets to science.
Utrecht University will use the deceased animal to train veterinarians, who will be able to use the knowledge gained to treat other sick animals in the future. The use of deceased pets saves the lives of laboratory animals, who would otherwise have to be killed for this purpose. Another benefit is that student veterinarians will be able to study a more diverse range of animal species, breeds and sizes. This will in turn better prepare them for their professional careers in a veterinary practice.
How does it work?
The animal owner and his/her veterinarian confer on how to fill in the Animal Donor Codicil. The veterinarian then contacts GD Animal Health in Deventer, where the deceased pets are collected before being brought to Utrecht.
Which municipalities?
Veterinarians in the Utrecht region have already been asked to participate in the Animal Donor Codicil. Now veterinarians in the following municipalities in the eastern regions of the Netherlands will also be able to sign up: Apeldoorn, Berkelland, Bronckhorst, Brummen, Dalfsen, Deventer, Epe, Haaksbergen, Heerde, Hellendoorn, Hof van Twente, Lochem, Olst-Wijhe, Raalte, Rijssen-Holten, Voorst, Wierden and Zutphen. Pet owners may also ask their veterinarians to participate in the project.
What about the rest of the country?
At the moment, veterinarians outside of the regions listed above may not sign a contract with Utrecht University. We are working on making this possible in the future, but until that time pet owners may bring their own deceased pets to Utrecht. However, they must first contact the faculty via mail, and will not receive any compensation for the costs involved.
Please send any questions to: ddc@proefdiervrij.nl.