Bob Barker Makes Washington U. an Offer It Shouldn’t Refuse

The always wonderful Bob Barker has stepped up yet again to help PETA save animals from suffering—this time, the animals are nine cats at a medical school that his late wife was to attend before she decided to become Mrs. Barker, Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL).

Bob, who grew up in Missouri, has sent a letter to the school’s chancellor, generously offering $75,000 to fund the purchase of new state-of-the-art pediatric simulators to be used in place of the cats who are currently forced to endure repeated intubation exercises.

This is the second time that he has spoken out for cats used in this archaic exercise. Following a plea from Bob, the University of Virginia recently announced that it was abandoning its cat intubation laboratory in favor of simulators.

Since this is World Week for Animals in Laboratories, it’s the perfect time for WUSTL to take Bob up on his proposal (although, of course, there’s never a wrong time to help animals in laboratories). And if that weren’t enough, Bob also tells the school that he would be happy to find homes for all nine cats!

WUSTL’s acceptance of Bob’s offer would not only give these cats a future of love and security instead of pain and fear in a laboratory—as seen in an undercover video from a recent PALS course at the university—but also better prepare the trainees to help save children’s lives. As Bob mentions in his letter, a recent study from neighboring Saint Louis University School of Medicine found that using a simulator in its PALS courses—which don’t include any animal laboratories—substantially improved trainees’ intubation skills.

What You Can Do

Please join Bob Barker and PETA in urging WUSTL to modernize its medical training program today.