School calls halt to surgery on animals

Some dogs said to be abused by students; remains mishandled

Xi'an Medical University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has suspended practice surgeries on animals after it was determined that some dogs were abused and their carcasses mishandled during research.

The incident reignited public concerns about the welfare of animals used in laboratories in China, where at least 12 million animals - mostly mice - are used for scientific purposes each year, the Ministry of Science and Technology said.