Washington State University has canceled the equine portion of its large animal surgery course after receiving threats following concerns raised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). PETA criticized the course for involving practice surgeries on healthy horses and goats that would then be euthanized, prompting over 36,000 calls and emails urging the university to stop the practice. In response, WSU cited safety concerns for its community and announced it would not bring the eight horses to campus for the spring term, also stating that the equine component would be discontinued after Spring 2026 as part of a planned transition.

WSU emphasized its commitment to animal welfare and professional veterinary education, noting that students will continue to receive surgical training through clinical opportunities and advanced simulation technologies. PETA hailed the decision as a victory, advocating for the adoption of non-terminal, clinical-based training programs that benefit both students and animal communities. While PETA maintains that their communications were polite, they accused WSU of using safety concerns as a pretext to avoid admitting the ethical issues with the course.