Ford Motor Company is under fire from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) due to a study published in 2018 by Wayne State University that utilized pig cadavers to gather crash test data, according to the Detroit Free Press. The organization recently discovered that The Blue Oval contributed $40,000 to the study via the University Research Program, and wants the automaker to stop funding similar studies in the future.
At issue is the use of 27 pigs that were seemingly euthanized, then used in various tests that helped researchers gain a better understanding of the impact of crashes on small children. According to the study’s authors, donated adult human cadavers are employed to gather crash test safety data, but child cadavers are not used, which is why pigs took their place. “The narrow scope of this research – funded nearly a decade ago and completed in 2014 – was necessarily part of developing enhanced modeling for test dummies and, in turn, improved safety of children in side-impact collisions,” company spokesperson Ian Thibodeau told the Detroit Free Press on Friday. “Ford encourages the use of non-animal alternatives for all testing whenever and wherever possible.”
PETA feels that Ford reneged on its 2009 pledge to ban the practice of funding any research involving animals, although the letter it cited made explicit references to live animals and their use in crash safety tests. From PETA’s perspective, the euthanizing of the pigs violated Ford’s statement. “The main concern is that they shouldn’t be using any animals who can feel pain and suffer from these experiments. Pigs are being killed for this experiment and used in this horrific crash test,” Shalin Gala, vice president of international laboratory methods, explained to the Detroit Free Press. “It shouldn’t be happening. Ford should be mindful of how its money is being spent. And they do have the ability to restrict the funding to only support non-animal research methods if they so choose.”
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Comments
What was Ford thinking?! I truly hope that it recommits to never using animals for tests because it’s insanely cruel and unnecessary.
Did you people read the article before having a cow errr pig? The pigs were dead before the test was conducted. They were not tortured while alive. You also realize that they would have ended up being bacon either way right. JFC
“pigs that were seemingly euthanized, then used in various tests” – Dead first 🙂
shhhhhh… don’t tell them!
Kim and Lucy, please keep in mind that the study was meant to benefit child safety. As the article states, cadavers are often used. All cadavers are adult humans who chose to donate their body to science. As children don’t have that choice (and I can’t image grieving parents making that choice), no child cadavers exist.
Fortunately for the future safety of our children and grandchildren, the researchers used pig cadavers. I suspect those people who criticize this practice will be the same people who will express outrage if the auto industry doesn’t advance the safety of children. Think about that (of course, I am assuming you child safety advancements). You can’t have it both ways.
What happened to using crash dummies. Heck, I would have volunteered my mother in law.
This country is so screwed up we care more about everything but human rights
Okay, thanks, Kenny;
Got it.
Pigs Lives Matter
That was in poor taste.
Reach higher.
You’ll feel better.
oh, chill… Ford was using DEAD pigs… no issue there… PETA, with their holier-than-thou attitude, should do a better job at picking their battles… maybe Ford should ask PETA if they can use all the dead animals in PETA’s freezers?
That should help Ford. Anything peta is against is usually good IMO.
I like that, they’d have to be really small tho since they’re simulating kids.