The ethical use of animals in education tool (EUAET): Systematically considering harms, benefits, & unintended consequences

Animals can be highly engaging in educational contexts, yet our use of them is increasingly morally fraught due to decreased access to free living wildlife, enhanced technology for mediated encounters, and advancements in our understanding of animal sentience. As most people are not formally taught how to make difficult moral decisions, educators and organizations can more carefully consider the morality of their animal programs with the Ethical Use of Animals in Education Tool (EUAET, pronounced you-et), a practical ethics-based guide for systematically considering harms, benefits, justifications, and unintended consequences. This article describes the development of the EUAET through conceptual analysis and iterative feedback from education professionals, and walks through the ten steps. Modeling the use of the EUAET on a species or issue people are passionate about can showcase the benefits of more careful moral consideration for students who may otherwise get very little structured practice at it.