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thedrifter
07-31-09, 01:54 PM
MILITARY: County says zoning allows medical training with pigs

By MARK WALKER - mlwalker@nctimes.com

San Diego County's chief planner said Thursday that military medical training involving the wounding and eventual euthanization of pigs at a Valley Center avocado grove does not violate land-use regulations.

Eric Gibson, director of the county Department of Planning and Land Use, was responding to a complaint filed Wednesday by the Virginia-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA asserted that the training taking place on a 17-acre grove was not allowed under the property's agricultural zoning.

"The department determined that the county's land-use regulations do not prohibit this type of small-scale medical training on this property," Gibson wrote in a letter to Shalin Gala, a top PETA researcher who filed the complaint. "Staff performed a thorough investigation by observing the medical training and reviewing all county land-use regulations. Staff found that the training is provided to small groups and is located on three agriculturally zoned parcels totaling 17 acres."

PETA has campaigned for several years to convince the military to stop the "live tissue" training that involves the wounding of anesthetized pigs.

The training is conducted so that combat medics and other troops learn how to recognize and treat major wounds.

PETA contends that using pigs is inhumane, even though the animals are given painkillers and anesthetics before being wounded. The animal rights group contends that other training methods not involving animals are available.

County officials became involved in the Camp Pendleton-commissioned training earlier this month after a noise complaint was filed against Dave Bishop, an Escondido police SWAT officer and former Marine who makes his property available for the training.

The noise complaint stemmed from recorded sounds of combat, and Bishop has agreed to reduce the volume, officials say.

More than 1,300 local Marines and sailors from Camp Pendleton's I Marine Expeditionary Force have undergone or will undergo the training that has been taking place at Bishop's property since January.

The training is provided under a contract with a company called Deployment Medicine International and began in 2006.

Marine Corps officials say the training provides invaluable instruction that ultimately saves lives on the battlefield. Army and special forces troops also take part in the exercises.

The Humane Society of the U.S. has joined PETA in petitioning for an end to the practice. Earlier this month, a dozen members of Congress, including Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego, wrote a letter to Army officials asking that they stop using pigs and instead use sophisticated medical mannequins and have troops spend time in hospital trauma centers.

Call staff writer Mark Walker at 760-740-3529.

Ellie