Under the Microscope: Understanding Societys Perspectives on Animal Welfare

1
Under the Microscope Understanding Societys
Perspectives on Animal Welfare

• Gail C. Golab PhD, DVM, MACVSc (Animal Welfare)
• Director, Animal Welfare Division
• American Veterinary Medical Association

2
Topics to Address

• How values and experiences influence animal
  welfare decisions
• Cultural and historical contributions to defining
  human-animal relationships
• The role of science in animal welfare decisions
• Animal welfare assurance through public policy

3
Which is More Welfare Friendly?

• 7x 2 individual stalls, movement restricted
• Avg body condition score 2.8, low injury score
• Sham chewing/bar biting evident
• Individual observation
• Concrete slatted floors

• Electronic sow feeder
• Social interaction possible
• Inter-pig aggression ? injuries, scratches
• BCS slightly variable
• Concrete slatted floors

4
Which is More Welfare Friendly?

• Large space, freedom of movement
• Little inter-pig aggression, minimal injuries
• BCS variable
• Wind chill 25 below, shelter available

5
Which Do You Choose?
1
2
3

• Which do you think these people would choose?
• Veterinarians and scientists
• Those in business to produce animals and their
  products
• Your neighbor
• Your public officials

Q
6

• Everyones Choice is Framed By Their Values

• Veterinarians and scientists
• Businesses
• Members of the Public
• Public Officials

7
Understanding Your (and Their) Choice
Measures of health, growth and productivity
Measures of affective states (pain,
suffering, contentment)
Quantitative and qualitative comparisons to wild
or free-living conspecifics
1Adapted from Fraser D, Weary DM, Pajor EA, et
al. A scientific conception of animal welfare
that reflects ethical concerns. Anim Welf
19976187-205.
8

• AndEveryones Choice is Conditioned By Their
  Experiences

• Veterinarians and scientists
• Businesses
• Members of the Public
• Public Officials

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Understanding Their ViewpointVeterinarians and
Animal Scientists

• What type of person is attracted toward a
  veterinary or animal science career?
• Like precise measurements, less inclined toward
  the warm fuzzies
• Compassionate, fascinated by/love animals
• Able to work under unpleasant conditions (e.g.,
  blood, feces/urine, physical demands)
• Training
• Instills knowledge about the various types and
  uses of animals and exposes them to a variety of
  owners
• Teaches them to respect species differences
• Makes them very good at evaluating and predicting
  the responses of animals to various situations
• Makes them conceptually more comfortable with
  some pain/discomfort

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Understanding Their ViewpointEven veterinarians
and animal scientists come in different
flavors

• Companion animalindividual animal focus care
  decisions framed by owner attachment and ability
  to pay, and generally not by market value
  advanced procedures in demand
• Equinefocus is mixture of pleasure and function
  care decisions often framed by use advanced
  medical care available, but return on investment
  can be an important consideration
• Food Supplyherd focus care decisions framed by
  goal of bringing product to market medical
  procedures limited by market value procedural
  outsourcing

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Understanding Their ViewpointVeterinarians and
Animal Scientists

• Laboratory Animalgroup focus care decisions
  affected by demands of research and regulation
  advanced procedures limited by value to and
  affect on research programs
• Public practicemultiple stakeholder demands and
  factors
• Advocacyanimal industry or humane groups
  expected to fully support the missions and aims
  of their particular group

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Understanding Their Viewpoint Animal Use
Businesses

• After WWII
• Production/use costs ? (esp wages)
• Prices ? (market forces)
• Pressures on those involved in
• animal use ? intensification
• ? efficiency, emphasis on business
• management
• Specialization, few multiply-faceted
• operations, contract operators emerge
• Economy of scale/type, animals units or
  commodities
• But
• Respond to consumer purchasing behavior
• (desired attributes vs cost)
• Social responsibility initiatives

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Understanding Their Viewpoint Public

• Urbanization
• Social shifts in family units
• Increase in disposable income
• Animals move from utility food/fiber/research
  to companions
• Public vision of animals reflects CA experience
• Potential for direct conflict with views of
  animal use businesses
• But
• Concern for food and drug/device availability and
  security/safety

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Understanding Their Viewpoint Public Officials

• Come from all walks of life with all kinds of
  experiences
• In many areas majority are not familiar with the
  animal use industries and animal care practices
• Most driven by a genuine desire to do the right
  thing
• Butthey want to be re-elected/re-appointed
• Therefore
• Tremendous potential for stakeholder
• influence
• Activists
• Animal use industries

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Age and Gender Effects

• Effect of social changes mean that younger
  generations are going to think differently than
  the older ones
• Research shows that women tend to have more
  interest in and empathy for social issues. Animal
  welfare is a social issue.
• As women and younger individuals move into
  decision-making positions, choices about how
  animals are cared for will change.

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Position of the Veterinarian
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• Dealing with the conflicts is really about
  understanding how people define the human-animal
  relationship and what they perceive as their
  duties with respect to that relationship.

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Human-Animal Relationships in Various Cultures

• Hunter-gatherers
• Animal use opportunistic
• Animals inhabited by the spirits of the dead,
• goal not to offend spirit
• Pastoralism
• Nomads
• Non-terminal animal use
• Animals usually herbivores
• Animals focus of events and rituals
• Agrarianism
• Complex social organization, centers of activity
• Raise crops and animals for food, but with
• desire to create an ongoing source
• Care ethic

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Rationalizing Our Relationship With Animals

• Mythology
• Helps define relationship between people and
  animals
• Helps resolve ethical conflicts of animal use
• Reinforces how people think about proper conduct
  toward animals
• Reflects popular beliefs of a culture (art and
  stories)
• Remnants exist today

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Animals and Religion

• Christianity
• Adam and Evewhole of creation participated in
  their fall nature is not perfect and is subject
  to the laws of natural selection
• Noahs ArkFlood animals were part of a covenant
  for the future
• Humankind has dominion over animals not based on
  power and control, but on stewardship and service
• Judaism
• Uses same Bible stories as Christianity, but the
  emphasis is on each creature having its proper
  place.
• Creations parts are named and humans must behave
  toward them with justice and compassion (implies
  responsibility).
• Food rules (how much based on view of animals and
  how much on food safety concerns?)

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Animals and Religion

• Islam
• Allah makes creation happen and move humans are
  servants and agents of God.
• As stewards, humans are trustees of creation and
  Allah rewards those who engage in responsible
  stewardship.
• Animals are communities and nations of their own.
• Goal of Halal is no pain before death.
• Hinduism
• Infuses the Ultimate (God) and nature
  togethermany Hindu gods reflect animal life.
• Humankind is continuous with plants and animals
  certain animals may not be killed. Many Hindus
  are vegetarian.
• Doing harm to others may result in being reborn
  as an animal, and animals may be reborn as people.

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Animals and Religion

• Buddhism
• Sees animal life as sentient beings that suffer
  as we do if we harm them, we harm ourselves
• Humans and animals are co-inhabitants of this
  planet and both have a right to the bounties of
  its environment
• Everything is constantly changing and decaying,
  therefore we might experience what is like to be
  an animal through a rebirth most Buddhists are
  vegetarian or vegan

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Increasing Social Complexity ? A Subject of Debate

• Philosophy
• Ancient
• What animals were or were not capable of and what
  they were or were not owed
• Aristotle 350 BC Animals cant reason
• Modern
• Attention to nature of the relationship, what is
  derived by both parties, and human responsibility
• Jeremy Bentham 1789 The question is not, can
  the reason, nor can they talk, but rather can
  they suffer?
• Popularization of ethical debate ? secular
  solutions for animal welfare concerns
• Standards (guidelines, laws first in 1822,
  anti-cruelty for cattle, sheep, horses)
• Protective societies

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• What have you noticed about the discussion of
  human-animal relationships so far?
• Ive never once mentioned SCIENCE!

Q
25
So when and where did science come in?

• Starting in the 1940s Broadening gulf between
  those involved in using animals on a daily basis
  for consumptive purposes and those who do not
• Increasing need to justify and refine animal use
  ? push for measurement (science)

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Emergence of Animal Welfare Science

• Laboratory animals
• 1940s and 1950s ? Increased public concern about
  vivisection, especially within the context of
  pets
• 1954 UFAW commissions a systematic study of
  laboratory techniques in an ethical context
• William Russell (zoologist, psychologist and
  classical scholar)
• Rex Burch (microbiologist)
• Published The Principles of Humane Experimental
  Technique in 1959, a detailed discourse on the 3
  Rs (refinement, reduction, and replacement)

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Emergence of Animal Welfare Science

• Farmed animals
• 1964Ruth Harrison authors Animal Machines, which
  focused on modern intensive farming practices in
  Great Britain
• Unnatural
• Potential for suffering, ill health, and food
  safety problems
• Life in the factory farm revolves
• entirely around profits, and animals
• are accessed purely for their ability
• to convert food into flesh or
• saleable products.
• Resulted in massive public concern

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Emergence of Animal Welfare Science

• 1965Brambell Commission appointed
• Farmers, veterinarians, animal protectionists,
  regulators
• Identified science as a way to work through
  questions
• Called for additional research
• First funding for animal welfare science begins
  to flow
• Technical report released
• Principles included comment that An animal
  should at least have sufficient freedom of
  movement to be able, without difficulty, to turn
  around, groom itself, get up, lie down, and
  stretch its limbs first statement of the Five
  Freedoms

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Assessing Animal Welfare Scientifically

• How do we know animals are being treated well?
• Physiologic and mental responses
• Success in coping with conditions and practices
  associated with being kept
• But what are the critical scientific
• components?

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Assessing Animal Welfare Scientifically

• Five basic frameworks used by animal welfare
  scientists
• Homeostatic (quality of function)
• Feelings (affective states)
• Animal choices
• Nature of the species
• Five Freedoms

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Homeostatic

• Quality of fitness
• Measure physiologic and behavioral responses
• Fitness costs of responses
• Favored by veterinarians, scientists/researchers,
  animal use industries (e.g., producers, breeders)

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Feelings (Sentience)

• Measure emotions (challenging)
• Link between visceral and cognitive processes
• Emphasize
• Reductions in negative responses (e.g., pain,
  fear)
• Increases in positive responses (e.g.,
  pleasure, comfort)
• Favored by humane advocates, cognitive
  scientists/psychologists, some behaviorists

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Animal Choices

• Examine motivations/preferences for resources
• Space
• Flooring
• Nest site
• Relate motivations to underlying needs/wants
• Choice tests
• Willingness to work for choice
• Results may reflect immediate needs, can be
  situation-dependent
• Favored by more recently trained animal welfare
  scientists, behaviorists

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Nature of the Species

• Look for natural environs and behaviors
• Can be difficult to define what natural means
• When is natural necessary for the animal (e.g.,
  wild versus domestic)?
• Customized animal types
• Favored by consumers in industrialized countries,
  those uncomfortable with invasion of technology

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Five Freedoms

• Ideal welfare five conditions met (Farm Animal
  Welfare Council)
• Freedom from hunger and thirst
• Freedom from discomfort
• Freedom from pain, injury, and disease
• Freedom to express normal behavior
• Freedom from fear and distress
• Generally not possible to fulfill all five
  simultaneously
• Meld of homeostatic, feelings, and natural
  approaches therefore, may be more comprehensive
  and have wider appeal
• Accrues benefits/problems of those approaches

36
Some Additional Comments

• Welfare is assessed across a continuum
• Need met good welfare
• Need not met poor welfare
• Wants ????
• Assessments may look at
• What is provided for animal (inputs/resource
  measures) ? engineering standards
• Effects of inputs on welfare performance
  (outputs/animal measures) ? performance standards
• Assessments should consider
• Severity of welfare concerns
• Duration concerns have existed
• Number of animals affected
• Risks versus benefits

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Does Scientific Framework Solution to Problem?
Q
38
Summary of Freedoms Assessment1
1Adapted from Kelly Lunds Welfare review of
alternatives to gestation stalls, Alberta
Agriculture Food and Rural Development, August
15, 2002
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The Scientific Decision

• The consequences for welfare of housing pigs in
  stalls for varying durations should be evaluated.
  Because stall housing is a controversial issue
  from the view of public perception, but may have
  reproductive and welfare advantages, housing in
  stalls for a defined period that is considerably
  less than the period of gestation may be a
  reasonable compromiseThere is no scientific
  evidence to support the recommendation in the
  Code of Practice advising against housing sows in
  stalls followed by housing in crates.
• A Review of the Welfare Issues for Sows and
  Piglets In Relation to Housing
• Barnett JL, Hemsworth PH, Cronin GM, et al.
• Aust J Agric Res 2001521-28.
• Since overall welfare appears to be better when
  sows are not confined throughout gestation, sows
  should be preferably kept in groups. However,
  only housing systems resulting in minimal
  aggression or injury should be used.No
  individual pen should be used which does not
  allow the sow to turn around easily.
• The Welfare of
  Intensively Kept Pigs
• 
  Report of the Scientific Veterinary Committee,
• European Commission, September 30, 1997

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Science and AW Decisions

• What science can do
• Determine risks associated with certain animal
  care practices
• Recognize differences/limitations in scientific
  assessment models
• Incorporate cross-disciplinary research (e.g.,
  animal science, veterinary medicine, behavior) to
  improve understanding
• What science cannot do
• Determine what type or level of risk is
  acceptable

41
What Risk IS Acceptable?

• Most cultures and individuals agree that use of
  animals for human purposes is appropriate
• Most cultures and individuals agree that people
  have a responsibility to ensure that animals are
  treated well
• Acceptability, however, is a value judgment,
  and

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2003 Gallup Poll
64
61
62
35
38
35
22
strict laws on treatment of farmed animals
banning product testing on lab animals
banning medical research on lab animals
banning all types of hunting
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Values Related to Animal Use and Care Are Diverse
Animal Use (animals exist for our responsible
useour needs trump theirs)
Animal Exploitation (animals are our absolute
property)
Animal Control (responsible use enforcement of
laws)
Animal Welfare (duty to ensure animals are
treated kindly)
Animal Liberation (eliminate all types of animal
use)
Animal Rights (intrinsic rights that must be
guaranteed)
As derived from Katherine B. Morgan, Community
Animal Control, Kansas City, MO
Q
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SoWhat is Ultimately Acceptable

• May be different for different segments of
  society, which may lead to conflicts between
  those segments
• Animal welfare decisions include consideration
  for
• Personal values
• Public/cultural sensibilities
• Practicalities
• and Science (if available, presented
  appropriately, and embraced)

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Some Words to the Wise

• Science itself is not value-free
• Can be biased toward specific value frameworks
• Can be biased by positive benefits associated
  with a particular outcome
• Can reflect underlying values for public funding
  (e.g., expeditious production of needed drugs and
  medical devices, safe and wholesome food,
  improved efficiency)
• Different values generally represent legitimate
  differences with respect to our views and
  treatment of animals the exception would be
  when those values lead to activities that are
  destructive
• Values, however, dont tell us the actual effects
  on the animal ? thats where science can really
  help (if we let it and apply it appropriately)

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Societal Assurance

• Concerns about animal welfare are generally
  accompanied by a need to do something
• That something often ends up being public
  policy
• Public policy solutions can include
• Voluntary processes (often market-driven e.g.,
  retailers social responsibility initiatives,
  brand/product differentiation)
• Legislative/regulatory processes
• and can be
• Local, regional, national or international in
  scope
• Assurance confidence in the effectiveness of
  the solution

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Typical Path to AW Policy Solutions in the US
Preferred solution
Cultural characteristics
Debate
Research (science, opinion)
Contrasting agendas
Precipitating event
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Some Tough Current AW Public Policy Questions

• Housing systems

X
?
48
Some Current AW Public Policy Questions

• The good partIt considers animals behavioral
  needs, which have tended to be overlooked in
  deference to high production, animal health and
  food safety
• The problemIt doesnt include consideration for
  other factors affecting the welfare of laying
  hens

49
Some Tough Public Policy Questions

• Efforts to ban horse slaughter
• Horsesemotional morph from livestock to
  companion animals
• Not consistent with human consumption, which has
  lead to efforts to ban
• Ancillary problemtoo many horses and slaughter
  serves as one of few options for disposal
• Overbreeding
• Insufficient space in sanctuaries
• Second career option desirable, but opportunities
  may be limited

50
Some Tough Public Policy Questions

• Closing of slaughter houses means more horses
  shipped to Mexico and Canada
• August 30, 2007 August 30, 2008
• Slaughter 29,945 36,097
• Geldings 2,275 1,691
• Breeding males 281 1,712
• Breeding females 446
  2,835
• Burro/mule/pony 1
  115
• Totals 28,948 42,450

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Some Tough Public Policy Questions

• Drought and high hay prices have aggravated the
  problem, leading to reports of neglect
• and abandonment
• Prohibitions on transport to slaughter
• Unlikely to be effectiveincreased transport of
  breeding stallions/mares and pleasure horses to
  Mexico
• By August 30, 2007
• Breeding stallions 281
• Breeding mares 446
• By August 30, 2008
• Breeding stallions 1,712
• Breeding mares 2,835

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Why Such Approaches to AW Public Policy Can Fail
the Animal

• Protecting animal welfare means doing what you
  can to meet the animals needsphysical and
  mental
• Components of animal care systems do not exist in
  a vacuumeach affects the system as a whole.
• Choosing among animal production systems involves
  trade-offs (e.g., ? behavioral freedom ? ? risks
  of injury and disease)

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Why Such Approaches to Public Policy Can Fail the
Animal

• Choosing appropriate animal production systems is
  also a balancing act involving animal needs,
  human needs (including occupational health and
  safety), food safety, environmental concerns, and
  economics.
• In shortwe cant afford to fail to see the
  forest for the trees

54
Summary How Society Tackles Animal Welfare

• We develop thinking based on philosophy,
  beliefs and what we think is best for ourselves
  and others, human and not
• Attempt to apply these principles to our use and
  treatment of animalsthen we
• Justify the approaches with science, philosophy
  and a laundry list of other componentsthen we
• Attempt to convince (or compel) others to adhere
  to a particular paradigm.
• Our responsibility and challengemaking sure our
  paradigm actually translates into good welfare
  for the animal

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Where to Look for More Information on Specific
Topics

• AVMA animal welfare Web section
• www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/default.asp
• AVMA animal welfare policies
• www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/policies.asp
• Animal welfare backgrounders
• www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/backgrounders.a
  sp
• Upcoming meetings/activities
• www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/meetings.asp
• Additional resources
• www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/related_links.a
  sp

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Thank You For Your Time and Attention
Please Let Us Know What We Can Do To Help
You ggolab_at_avma.org
Have the courage to act, instead of react
Oliver Wendell Holmes