8370 - Humane Treatment of Animals

Policy: Humane Treatment of Animals	Policy Number: 8370
Date of Original Policy: 01/18/2012	Date Revision Adopted: 11/03/2021
Reviewed by Policy Committee: 11/03/2021	Date of Next Review: 08/19/2024
Replacement of Policy Number:

The Jordan-Elbridge Central School District is committed to the humane treatment and protection of animals and respects the importance of the part they play in the economy of nature. The Board of Education sets forth the following as guided by New York State Education Law, Section 809:

Treatment of live vertebrate animals- Any performance of certain specified types of lessons or experimental studies on live vertebrate animals in the school or during and activity conducted under the school’s auspices are prohibited whether or not they take place on school premises where such lesson or experimental study employs:

•    Micro-organisms which cause disease in humans or animals
•    Ionizing radiation
•    Known cancer producing agents
•    Chemicals at toxic levels
•    Drugs production pain or deformity
•    Severe extremes of temperature
•    Electric or other shock
•    Excessive noise
•    Noxious fumes
•    Exercise to exhaustion
•    Overcrowding
•    Paralysis by muscle relaxants or other means
•    Deprivation or excess of food, water or other essential nutrients
•    Surgery or other invasive procedures
•    Other extreme stimuli
•    Termination of life.   

Study and care of live animals- Any school which cares for or uses animals for study shall ensure that each animal in such school be afforded the following:

a)    Appropriate quarters
b)    Sufficient space for the normal behavior and postural requirements of the species
c)    Proper ventilation, lighting and temperature control
d)    Adequate food and clean drinking water
e)    Quarters which shall be cleaned on a regular basis and is located in an area where undue stress and disturbance are minimized.
   
Dissection of animals- Any student expressing a moral or religious objection to the performance or witnessing of the dissection of an animal, either wholly or in part, shall be provided the opportunity to undertake and complete and alternative project that shall be approved by such student’s teacher; provided, however, that such objection is substantiated in writing by the student’s parent (s) or legal guardian (s). Students who perform alternative projects who do not perform or witness the dissection of animals shall not be penalized.  

A notice of course study will be distributed notifying students enrolled in a course that includes the dissection of an animal.  

Any instruction that involves the study of animals will be outlined and approved by the superintendent (or their designee) prior to the course study beginning.


New York State Education Law, Section 809
As amended 08/13/2010 effective 07/01/2011