Group asks St. Louis Children's to stop using cats in training

Animal rights group PETA has criticized St. Louis Children’s Hospital for using sedated cats to teach medical professionals how to perform an advanced life-saving technique on infants. PETA has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate possible violations of the Animal Welfare Act because the group claims the cats suffer during the procedures and the hospital has failed to consider training tools that do not involve animals. Cats are used to mimic the airways of infants during intubation. St. Louis Children’s Hospital offers the instruction to doctors, nurses, and emergency workers as part of its Pediatric Advanced Life Support course.