Warning! If you are squeamish, this is not your article.
The United States Army has decided that it will no longer use live animals in military training. Hallelujah, it arrives years late but it finally arrives. It is a historic decision that for years treated the issue as a taboo while there were endless criticisms, protests, and ethical debates. At some point, someone thought it was a good idea to practice by killing animals, and it was not until 2026 that someone thought an alternative could be found without putting animals’ lives at risk.
The measure is included in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and puts an end to live fire trauma exercises in which animals were used. For many experts, it is not only a gesture of sensitivity, but a logical adaptation to the times we live in and to the available technology. It was about time.
A change that had been demanded for years
For decades, goats and pigs were used to train combat medics in extreme situations. The idea was to prepare them to act under pressure, with severe injuries and quick decisions, but was this normal for anyone? It is a questionable and completely unjustifiable practice, so it is normal that there were so many protests against it.
Scientists, health professionals, and animal protection organizations had been pointing out for years that it was not only a matter of ethics, but also of effectiveness, and they have finally managed to stop this practice. On December 18, the new law put an end to it.
What is prohibited?
Shooting live animals during medical training with live ammunition, including dogs, cats, non human primates, and marine mammals. But there is more.
The alternative?
We are not entirely sure whether the alternatives are better or not. In principle, it is proposed that military leaders use advanced simulators, mannequins, cadavers, or actors, although practices involving animals will still be allowed, such as stabbings, burns, and weapons testing, as long as the animal is anesthetized, according to the Associated Press (AP).
In addition, the law strictly limits painful research on domestic animals, except in exceptional cases linked to national security.
Technology takes over
Fortunately, technology has also made its way into the US Army, because these practices were quite outdated, not to say inhumane, and thanks to medical simulations they will no longer have to harm animals to see how doctors react under pressure.
The realism is the same, but without harming any animal. In fact, many experts say that these methods are even better because they fit human anatomy and real injuries more closely.
Has it had political support?
Of course, nobody saw it as logical to use animals for this purpose. One of the most visible supporters has been Congressman Vern Buchanan, who has insisted that maintaining obsolete methods no longer makes sense when there are more effective and much more humane alternatives. Soldiers can be protected without making other species suffer.
Will it affect military preparedness?
No, not at all. Many specialists agree that this change improves what already existed, because thanks to these new systems complex situations can be repeated, without rush, and exercises can be adapted to different types of injuries, something unthinkable when attacking live animals.
A more aware army
It is no longer just about ethics, it is about evolution, and even the most traditional institutions can evolve, and that is what they are doing. Military training does not have to make defenseless animals suffer to be effective, there are other ways. And they are finally proving it, we can finally give this news.