Cow autopsy at Edinburgh's Science Festival slated as throwback to Dark Ages

• Damien Hirst's famous cows in a formaldehyde may have proved a huge success in the art world but an animal rights group claims public autopsy of a cow would be a 'reckless waste of life'. Picture: Getty Images

The cow autopsy will be carried out by vets at Edinburgh Zoo next month. Festival organisers say the event is aimed at young people interested in a veterinary career, although it will only be open to anyone over the age of 16.

However, Edinburgh animal rights group Ethical Voice for Animals (EVA) has called for the autopsy to be scrapped, and is encouraging people to write to the festival director in protest.

A spokeswoman for EVA, formerly called Bunny Huggers, said it was a "reckless waste of life".

"The killing of yet another cow cannot provide any information which has not already been studied and documented," she said.

"The Science Festival should highlight and celebrate the achievements of science over the years and the benefits they bring. Instead, this reckless waste of life takes us back to the Dark Ages."

The event on 13 April, which costs 11 and lasts two hours, is billed in the festival programme as being a way to find out what makes a cow interesting, such as the fact it has four stomachs, a small intestine measuring 20 times its length, and a tongue weighing three pounds.

The EVA spokeswoman believes the autopsy event suggests it is "acceptable to kill and cut open a mammal for nothing more than the curiosity of the public".

She said close to 100 people had already sent e-mails to festival director Simon Gage protesting about the event.

The festival spokeswoman defended the event. She said: "The purpose of the cow post-mortem at this year's Science Festival is not to learn anything new about the anatomy of a cow, but to provide a learning opportunity for the public, particularly those young adults who have an interest in entering the field of veterinary science.

"The animal involved will not be slaughtered for the purpose of this event. It is destined for slaughter regardless of whether we carry out the post-mortem or not. Its termination will be carried out under the strict conditions of the current slaughter of animals legislation."

And she added that both the Science Festival and Edinburgh Zoo believed in giving the public opportunities to allow them to better understand the natural world, and that gaining an appreciation of the anatomy of one of our most familiar animals was one part of that effort.

Libby Anderson, political director for Advocates for Animals, said she was "dubious" about the event and said it sounded a "bit gruesome". She added: "We would be looking at whether it's genuinely an academic, intellectual event or for public entertainment."

"Clearly veterinary students need to learn but we would be worried about this as a form of public entertainment.

"It would also depend on how it was conducted – if it was in done in a serious and scientific way or in a jokey manner. We always seek respect for all sentient beings and that goes on after it dies."