VICTORY: WSU’S HORSE-KILLING LAB IS CANCELLED!
Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine planned to kill eight healthy, adoptable horses in an outdated, unnecessary, and terminal surgical lab (training procedure) — but your action saved their lives! Because of the pressure that our amazing community applied to WSU, the university has now officially chosen to cancel the terminal lab and spare all eight horses! In fact, WSU has also opted to change their entire policy on the killing of animals at their veterinary school, which you can read about fully in this article by The Spokesman-Review!
This victory belongs to every compassionate individual who spoke up, took action, and refused to stay silent in the face of animal cruelty.
Now, BFP is working hard to uncover the exact location of the horses so that we can transport them to sanctuary immediately!
You can act NOW to help save the horses and goats slated to be killed. Contact WSU leadership TODAY and tell them to:
- Immediately cancel terminal surgery labs
- Allow healthy horses and goats to be adopted or transferred to sanctuaries
- Replace terminal animal labs with modern, ethical training programs
The Truth about WSU’s Terminal Labs
When a fourth-year veterinary student asked WSU leadership whether the animals used in the university’s terminal surgical lab could be adopted instead of killed for surgical practice, they were initially told that adoption was not possible due to a USDA policy. However, no such blanket policy exists.
While federal guidelines may restrict the release of animals that pose a public health risk after certain types of research, records later confirmed that the horses scheduled for WSU’s terminal lab were healthy — meaning they were, in fact, adoptable.
Despite this, WSU initially refused to cancel the lab, suggesting that altering the curriculum would be too difficult.
As more information came to light, additional concerns emerged. The university’s animal-use protocol stated that animals used in terminal labs would come from sources already destined for slaughter. However, records revealed that these horses were instead sourced from a USDA-regulated research facility — not a traditional slaughter pipeline — raising serious questions about how the lab was approved.
Under the federal Animal Welfare Act, animal-use activities must be approved based on accurate descriptions of how animals are obtained and used. When those details don’t align, it raises significant compliance concerns, which experts said was cause for immediate intervention.
Through calls, emails, and widespread public pressure, advocates demanded that WSU do the right thing — and our voices were heard.
Questioning the Educational Need
The horses scheduled to be used in WSU’s terminal surgical lab would have been subjected to procedures that veterinary professionals say are unnecessary, noting that modern, ethical alternatives exist for every planned training.
Many veterinary schools have already moved away from terminal labs entirely. Instead, they train students through:
- Clinical rotations
- Simulation technology
- Service-based surgical programs that provide needed veterinary care to animals in local communities
These approaches allow students to gain hands-on surgical experience without killing healthy animals.
Washington State University itself operates a Clinical Simulation Center—demonstrating that modern, humane training methods are not only available, but already in use.
Together, we can keep pushing veterinary medicine forward by insisting that professionals and vets-in-training uphold their oath to protect animal welfare — not sacrifice healthy lives for outdated practices. You can donate today to fuel BFP’s efforts to make the world a kind, safe place for animals!