Mice Just Fine

I am rather confused by Carol Neel’s attempt to discredit the Biology “Energy Metabolism and Mouse Dissection" (Better plans for mice and men - 2/15/06)She treats the issue as though the mice are being unethically killed. More interestingly, her idea that it would be more appropriate to use deer in dissection because they need to be killed anyway in cases of overpopulation; does this imply that mice are somehow endangered, or that they will not be able to reproduce fast enough if they aren’t used as subjects in the lab? The mice are most likely going to be used in some other experiment at the University such that their life is probably not prolonged forever. With all this aside, the point of the lab was to study metabolism. The only reason dissection is an option is because the opportunity is there. There is a full page all over the Biology building explaining students’ rights not to participate in the lab, specifically the part dealing with the death of the mouse. So I have no idea where the idea of an unfair burden comes from.