"It's a Privilege": A Critical Examination of University Students' Perspectives of Animal Experimentation Pedagogy in Canada

Abstract

Animal experimentation is a controversial practice that persists in university education, despite the many available alternatives to effectively replace animal models. This thesis examines Brock University students' perspectives and educational experiences of animal experimentation, to understand how students make sense of this practice as a part of their education. This research consists of six in-depth interviews with Brock University undergraduate students who engaged in animal experimentation. The results show that students' experiences of animal experimentation pedagogy have greatly influenced their attitudes and perceptions of this practice, and have instilled in them an acceptance and perceived necessity of animal models. Most notably, students explicitly highlight their instructors as highly influential in shaping their acceptance and engagement in animal experimentation. The thesis concludes with an exploration of non-animal alternative methods to emphasize how principles of humane education can be used to foster more compassionate human-animal relations.