Donkeys are being killed mercilessly
at Mansoura University, Egypt
The above picture had been published on a Facebook-page run by veterinary students of Egypt on date of 5th of September, 2012. Although the picture had been deleted shortly after being posted, activists managed to save it and to send it to us.
According to Noor Diab, General Manger of S.P.A.R.E. Egypt, some comments suggested the picture had been taken at Mansoura University, and some said maybe at the Faculty Of Veterinary Medicine in Cairo.
While we could only guess what could have happened to these eight donkeys, the facts became quite clear a few hours later when students and ex-students of both Mansoura and Cairo University commented on one of the pictures that we had posted and confirmed what we had feared.
According to Noor Diab, General Manger of S.P.A.R.E. Egypt, some comments suggested the picture had been taken at Mansoura University, and some said maybe at the Faculty Of Veterinary Medicine in Cairo.
While we could only guess what could have happened to these eight donkeys, the facts became quite clear a few hours later when students and ex-students of both Mansoura and Cairo University commented on one of the pictures that we had posted and confirmed what we had feared.
Please click on the above picture to be taken to our Facebook-post where you can read
the comments from the students and ex-students, or see the screen shots below (please click to enlarge)
the comments from the students and ex-students, or see the screen shots below (please click to enlarge)
Below are the most important comments
Tarek Batta: this picture is in mansoura university and iam sure of this because i am astudent in this faculty and this is anatomy department
Mohamed Elserry: this is Mansoura University but these donkeys are too old and going to die any way and must treated for sorry by this way to be used in anatomy because if they die the blood will clot and veins and arteries will collapse.and for sorry in Egypt the resources are very low so they do this.
Michael Maher: That's normal guys ... 1st this pic from Mansurah Univ. ... I know this place that I'm studying the vet in :)
2nd every year 6 - 8 donkeys get killed this way by injection of formalin to blood then cutting the neck when it nearly dead
that's every year for the Anatomy Course
Michael Maher: I mean that's normally happened every year from 1995 till now.
of course that's non mercy killing ... but this is EGYPT
Michael Maher: the worth thing is the physiology course ... students have to learn on frogs and cutting it a parts alive ... because lake of anesthesia
BAD Memories :(
Mootaz Shabak: I know this place well ; this is the faculty of veterinary medicine mansoura university department of anatomy , the place we were studing , Not only animals are abused but also students !! ,I also know the name of the worker that has done this .....
Mootaz Shabaka: and you wanna see more abuse , take a look at the department of surgery to see how poor dogs are treated badly during anesthesia & during handling of animals
Hady Hussien: im egyptian student in fac of vet. in cairo ... we have the same in cairo uni but in the era of mr president Mohamed Morese we can change to better :D
Mootaz Shabaka: We all know this is wrong and because of this , the veterinarians are protesting at 23rd of September for all of these actions ... U R welcome
Mohamed Elserry: this is Mansoura University but these donkeys are too old and going to die any way and must treated for sorry by this way to be used in anatomy because if they die the blood will clot and veins and arteries will collapse.and for sorry in Egypt the resources are very low so they do this.
Michael Maher: That's normal guys ... 1st this pic from Mansurah Univ. ... I know this place that I'm studying the vet in :)
2nd every year 6 - 8 donkeys get killed this way by injection of formalin to blood then cutting the neck when it nearly dead
that's every year for the Anatomy Course
Michael Maher: I mean that's normally happened every year from 1995 till now.
of course that's non mercy killing ... but this is EGYPT
Michael Maher: the worth thing is the physiology course ... students have to learn on frogs and cutting it a parts alive ... because lake of anesthesia
BAD Memories :(
Mootaz Shabak: I know this place well ; this is the faculty of veterinary medicine mansoura university department of anatomy , the place we were studing , Not only animals are abused but also students !! ,I also know the name of the worker that has done this .....
Mootaz Shabaka: and you wanna see more abuse , take a look at the department of surgery to see how poor dogs are treated badly during anesthesia & during handling of animals
Hady Hussien: im egyptian student in fac of vet. in cairo ... we have the same in cairo uni but in the era of mr president Mohamed Morese we can change to better :D
Mootaz Shabaka: We all know this is wrong and because of this , the veterinarians are protesting at 23rd of September for all of these actions ... U R welcome
What is Formalin?
Formalin is an aqueous solution of the chemical compound formaldehyde. It typically contains about 40 percent formaldehyde by volume or 37 percent formaldehyde by weight, and a small amount of stabilizer, usually 10 percent to 12 percent methanol. Formalin is used as a disinfectant or anti-bacterial. The formaldehyde in formalin is responsible for its disinfectant properties, while the water helps dilute it, making the solution safer to use. Methanol also helps make the solution safer, as it helps prevent oxidization and polymerization of the formaldehyde, either of which could result in fire or explosion.
Formalin is commonly used in aquariums to prevent the growth of bacterial parasites that prey on fish. It is ineffective against other types of parasites, however, including insects, larvae, and fungi. Formaldehyde kills bacteria not by poisoning them, but by dehydrating them, causing the normal fluid in the cells to coagulate, or become rigid. The formaldehyde therefore remains within the living organism rather than being expelled through the liver and kidneys as a typical toxin would be. For this reason, the amount of formaldehyde solution used in an aquarium or pond must be carefully determined to avoid dehydration of the fish.
Formalin's coagulating properties also make it ideal for use as a fixative for tissue preserved in microscopic slides. Formaldehyde can also be used topically in small quantities to dry the skin, for example in the treatment of warts. Formaldehyde treatment of warts is typically accompanies by mechanical removal of the wart, such as with an emery board or pumice stone, and may take many days. Formalin is also used as a preservative in vaccines.
Formaldehyde solutions are sometimes used in post-mortem examinations to determine whether the deceased was breathing or able to breathe at the time of death. In the so-called skin test, the lungs are removed and placed in formalin. If they float, the deceased was most likely able to breathe when he or she died.
The coagulating properties of formalin are also responsible for its common use in the past as an embalming agent. As it alters the fluid in the body cells, it not only disinfects, but also helps the structures of the body retain their shape. Cells altered by formaldehyde also help resist future bacterial infection. However, formaldehyde is no longer widely used as an embalming agent, because of health and safety concerns for living people exposed to it. Formaldehyde is not only volatile, but can be toxic, allergenic, or carcinogenic when inhaled.
Embalming is the process of preserving a corpse, typically so that it can be viewed at a funeral ceremony. Generally, when embalming does not occur within several days of a person's death, their body will begin to decompose. To ensure that this does not happen, preserving chemicals will be used so that the body of the deceased can be viewed at an open-casket funeral.
The process of embalming has a very long history, dating back to the Egyptian process of mummification. Though their techniques were quite different from those used today, the effect was the same — to preserve an individual's body after death. In case of the ancient Egyptians, they believed that the spirit would return to the body after death, so it must remain in good condition. To preserve the corpses, they covered bodies in a drying chemical called natron, and then wrapped them in linen sheets.
Today, embalming is done by injecting chemicals directly into the bloodstream to preserve the corpse's appearance. The most commonly used chemicals for embalming are formaldehyde and ethanol. A combination of these two chemicals is sufficient to preserve the body for a short time; to keep it in good condition for a longer period, you would use a solution made up almost entirely of formaldehyde.
Modern embalming came about during the American Civil War, in which many soldiers died in battle far away from their families. The families wanted an open casket funeral for their loved one, and so preserving techniques were approved so that the body would look as close to normal as possible for the funeral.
There are several steps involved in modern embalming. First, the embalming fluid is injected directly into the deceased's blood vessels, and pushed through the body with a mechanical pump. Next, the internal organs are hollowed of their contents and filled with embalming fluid. The chemicals are then injected beneath the skin wherever necessary, followed by a final surface embalming on injured areas of the body.
Source
Formalin is commonly used in aquariums to prevent the growth of bacterial parasites that prey on fish. It is ineffective against other types of parasites, however, including insects, larvae, and fungi. Formaldehyde kills bacteria not by poisoning them, but by dehydrating them, causing the normal fluid in the cells to coagulate, or become rigid. The formaldehyde therefore remains within the living organism rather than being expelled through the liver and kidneys as a typical toxin would be. For this reason, the amount of formaldehyde solution used in an aquarium or pond must be carefully determined to avoid dehydration of the fish.
Formalin's coagulating properties also make it ideal for use as a fixative for tissue preserved in microscopic slides. Formaldehyde can also be used topically in small quantities to dry the skin, for example in the treatment of warts. Formaldehyde treatment of warts is typically accompanies by mechanical removal of the wart, such as with an emery board or pumice stone, and may take many days. Formalin is also used as a preservative in vaccines.
Formaldehyde solutions are sometimes used in post-mortem examinations to determine whether the deceased was breathing or able to breathe at the time of death. In the so-called skin test, the lungs are removed and placed in formalin. If they float, the deceased was most likely able to breathe when he or she died.
The coagulating properties of formalin are also responsible for its common use in the past as an embalming agent. As it alters the fluid in the body cells, it not only disinfects, but also helps the structures of the body retain their shape. Cells altered by formaldehyde also help resist future bacterial infection. However, formaldehyde is no longer widely used as an embalming agent, because of health and safety concerns for living people exposed to it. Formaldehyde is not only volatile, but can be toxic, allergenic, or carcinogenic when inhaled.
Embalming is the process of preserving a corpse, typically so that it can be viewed at a funeral ceremony. Generally, when embalming does not occur within several days of a person's death, their body will begin to decompose. To ensure that this does not happen, preserving chemicals will be used so that the body of the deceased can be viewed at an open-casket funeral.
The process of embalming has a very long history, dating back to the Egyptian process of mummification. Though their techniques were quite different from those used today, the effect was the same — to preserve an individual's body after death. In case of the ancient Egyptians, they believed that the spirit would return to the body after death, so it must remain in good condition. To preserve the corpses, they covered bodies in a drying chemical called natron, and then wrapped them in linen sheets.
Today, embalming is done by injecting chemicals directly into the bloodstream to preserve the corpse's appearance. The most commonly used chemicals for embalming are formaldehyde and ethanol. A combination of these two chemicals is sufficient to preserve the body for a short time; to keep it in good condition for a longer period, you would use a solution made up almost entirely of formaldehyde.
Modern embalming came about during the American Civil War, in which many soldiers died in battle far away from their families. The families wanted an open casket funeral for their loved one, and so preserving techniques were approved so that the body would look as close to normal as possible for the funeral.
There are several steps involved in modern embalming. First, the embalming fluid is injected directly into the deceased's blood vessels, and pushed through the body with a mechanical pump. Next, the internal organs are hollowed of their contents and filled with embalming fluid. The chemicals are then injected beneath the skin wherever necessary, followed by a final surface embalming on injured areas of the body.
Source
Conclusions
The students and ex-students have confirmed that this picture had been taken at Mansoura University. They have also confirmed that 6 to 8 donkeys are being killed each year in this very cruel way as a mean of education.
According to some students, or ex-students, donkeys have Formalin injected directly into their veins - while alive - and have their neck cut when they are almost dead, to reserve their bodies for anatomy class. The donkeys must have died a slow and agonizing death.
This seems to be 'normal' practice during the anatomy course - and this since 1995 which equals to 102 to 136 donkeys killed in this way since 1995.
The same seems to be done at the Faculty Of Veterinary Medicine in Cairo, too.
A while back students from the University of Cairo had reported that the staff of the Faculty Of Veterinary Medicine threw dogs off the third floor after experimenting on them, and that they had abused and electrocuted a little donkey to death.
Information is compiled in the following link. WARNING: videos are graphic (as you can imagine).
For the moment, we cannot reach these two universities to make some inquiries since all faculties are still on holidays since the end of the education year. We will update this page with new information as soon as we know more.
Update
After we had posted the above update on our Facebook-pages, another student said that the animals were already dead when they poured Formalin into their veins, while other students and/or ex-students had previously said Formalin were injected while alive and that the animals had their neck cut when they are almost dead.
NOTE: in case Formalin is injected into a dead body, the embalming fluid is injected directly into the deceased's blood vessels, and pushed through the body with a mechanical pump (that we cannot find in this picture).
As said before: we will search for clarification as soon as we can reach the university and post updates on this page.
NOTE: in case Formalin is injected into a dead body, the embalming fluid is injected directly into the deceased's blood vessels, and pushed through the body with a mechanical pump (that we cannot find in this picture).
As said before: we will search for clarification as soon as we can reach the university and post updates on this page.