Florida school finds alternative for frog dissections

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – No frogs were harmed in the making of a Florida high school’s science class.

J.W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey began using synthetic frogs for educational dissections last Wednesday. Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning says it’s the first school in the world to use the technology.

The lives of real frogs are being spared at a cost of $150 per synthetic frog. Tampa-based developer SynDaver received funds from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to help create the “SynFrog.”

SynDaver says the fake frogs are made of water, fibers and salts and can be reused. Founder and CEO Dr. Christopher Sakezles says the synthetic frogs are also safer because there are no potentially harmful chemicals.

PETA says 3 million frogs are killed for classroom use each year.

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An earlier version of this report incorrectly reported that PETA says 1 million frogs are killed for classroom use each year, instead of 3 million.