Digital Commons Network^™

Urban Wildlife Habitatpresent And Future, David Tylka

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Many wild animals can adapt to living in cities, provided that the right habitats are available and that city dwellers accept their presence. Suitable habitats can be furnished by traditional parks, tracts of "wild acres" set aside by cities, linear parks, cemeteries and golf courses, and transportation corridors. Buildings, rooftops, and institutional grounds can also provide a habitat for animals like birds and butterflies. Suburban areas can encourage the growth of local wildlife by neglecting to mow common grounds or allowing sections of individual lawns to grow with wild vegetation.

Ethical Issues And Future Directions In Wildlife Management, John W. Grandy

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Recent progress in the protection of wildlife and wildlife refuges is currently being undermined by the efforts of James Watt, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who believes that commercial interests should take precedence over the preservation of pristine wilderness areas and wildlife sanctuaries. As populations approach extinction because of programs like decimation of habitats and predator control, the consequent loss is more than simply aesthetic: genetic material unique to each species will be lost forever. Particular issues of immediate concern are the fate of bobcats and whales, inhumane trapping, and the Endangered Species Act. As a longer-term concern, wildlife management's …

Letter To Editor: Discrepancy Between Successful Adaptation And Welfare And Response By R. G. Beilharz, M. R. Baxter

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Baxter notes his delight at reading Professor Beilharz's penetrating discussion of animal welfare in the journal (lJSAP 3(2):117, 1982). However, the author raises concerns regarding Beilharz's assumption about the welfare of animals in their species-typical environments. Baxter notes that on p. 122, he [Beilharz] says that "we can do no better than to assume that the welfare of any adapted form of life is guaranteed, i.e., that it does not "suffer" in its particular environment" (his italics). Beilharz responds to Baxter.

Some Thoughts On The Laboratory Cage Design Process, Margaret E. Wallace

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

A block to progress in the design of cages and other restricted environments for animals has been the notion that animal and human needs are necessarily in conflict. The design process should list the established and suspected animal needs separately from human needs- husbandry and experimental. Comparison of the two lists will often show more compatible needs than expected, and design features can be worked out to fulfill them. Adjustments may be made where needs are less compatible until "sufficient" compatibility is achieved. An innovative design for a mouse cage is described to show that this process can lead to …

Reader Survey, Andrew N. Rowan

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

A survey of 600 journal subscribers produced 156 responses (26%). Responses were sorted into four groups – institutions and three groups of individuals (veterinarians, research scientists, animal welfare advocates, and others). The readers were mainly satisfied with the material's quality – 82% rated the journal as excellent or good. Fifty-eight percent (58%) responded that the journal needed more objectivity, and 38% responded that objectivity should stay the same. The responses were helpful and would be considered as the journal moved forward.

Legislation And Regulation

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The Wildlife Legislative Fund of America, whose letterhead asserts that its sole raison d' etre is "to protect the Heritage of the American Sportsman to hunt, to fish and to trap," has devised a model state statute for making the various tactics of anti-hunting activists illegal. The group began its efforts in January 1982, and eight states have already enacted legislation containing some or all of the WLFA's suggested provisions. These states are Montana, New York, Washington, Vermont, Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota, and California.

The Language Of Animal Exploitation, Michael W. Fox

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

A cross-cultural linguistic analysis of terminology related to various forms of animal exploitation might give considerable insight into how professional and vested interest groups perceive and value animals and how sensitive they are about what they do. Dairy cattle, breeding sows, and laying hens have been called "production units" and "biomachines." These examples show how language can be laundered to assuage guilt, gain public respectability, or avoid public ridicule. There are myriad other examples. Unwanted cats and dogs are "put to sleep," rather than killed; surplus pets are euthanized (which means mercy killing) rather than depopulated. Seals, deer, and other …

Letter To Editor: The Eternal Gap Between Ideals And Behavior, Judith E. Hampson

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The inconsistencies between attitudes and behavior illuminated by the Braithwaite survey (lJSAP 3(1):42, 1982) are not confined to the general public; they are also rife within the animal welfare movement.

News And Analysis

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Included is an article describing a study of student tendencies to anthropomorphize. The Department of Defense promotes the use of alternatives. The FDA Approves the addition of a contraceptive to dog food. Do ultrasonic pest control devices work? The NIH issues new animal welfare guidelines for research animals. A preparation from Mung beans may replace some animals in the screening for potential new drug entities. The welfare of “Downer” cows.

Bird banding may be bad for birds. Included is an article describing the rites of passage of a hunter. Results of the first U.S. trial of the Quantock group-pen system …

The Problem Of Pain: What Do Animals Really Feel?, Dana H. Murphy

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Much of the contention and confusion that inevitably arise whenever the subject of pain in animals stems from problems with the word "pain" itself. When used to describe responses in humans,

"pain" can mean any subset of a vast spectrum of sensations and emotions, ranging from the instantaneous, galvanizing effect of a dentist drill hitting the nerve in a molar to more airy notions such as the "pain" of rejection or "painfully" embarrassing situations. Humans even use concepts as abstruse as the German term weltschmerz, or "world pain," which denotes a vaguely defined depression or despair.

The Future Of Research Into Relationships Between People And Their Animal Companions, Boris M. Levinson

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

In sharp contrast to prevalent public attitudes of 20 years ago, animal-human relationships are now respected as a legitimate area of scientific investigation. However, it has not yet evolved into a full-fledged discipline. A specific term for this discipline, a body of theory, and a methodology must still be developed. This methodology should use both intuitive and scientific approaches to encompass the full richness of animal-human interaction. Four main areas of investigation would be fruitful at this point: {1) the role of animals in various human

cultures and ethnic groups over the centuries; {2) the effect of association with animals …

Meetings And Announcements

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Report of the second European conference on farm animals in 1982 – “Between Production and Protection.” Comments on a workshop on the effectiveness of the German Animal Welfare Act of 1972 organized by the Academy for Continuing Veterinary Education and a report of the tenth vertebrate pest conference held in Monterey, California, in 1982.

The Changing Concept Of Animals As Property, Vincent P. Mccarthy

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The article begins by identifying the changes in US law regarding the treatment of enslaved people as property and then proceeds to explore several cases in which the treatment of animals as mere property has been challenged in recent court cases. For example, can dog owners recover damages regarding the sentimental value of their pet dogs? In one New York case, the court ruled that “a pet is not just a thing but occupies a special place somewhere between a person and a piece of personal property.” The author expresses confidence that the courts will continue “to expand the domain …

The Economics Of Farm Animal Welfare, A. J. K. Webster

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The number of ways one can be nice or nasty to animals is legion. This article will consider only one very specific aspect of farm animal welfare, namely, those systems of intensive animal production in which the system itself, irrespective of the quality of the stockmanship within the system appears to restrict the normal behavior of farm animals to an unacceptable degree. The systems that were considered by the House of Commons Select Committee on Agriculture (1981) include egg production from hens in battery cages, production of veal from calves deprived of solid food and isolated in wooden crates, and …

Deep Woodchip Litter: Hygiene, Feeding, And Behavioral Enhancement In Eight Primate Species, Arnold S. Chamove, James R. Anderson, Susan C. Morgan-Jones, Susan P. Jones

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Sixty-seven animals from eight primate species were used to assess improved husbandry techniques. The presence of woodchips as a direct-contact litter decreased inactivity and fighting and increased time spent on the ground. Placing food in the deep litter led to further behavioral improvement. Frozen foods improved distribution and reduced fighting in most situations, especially when buried in the litter. With time, the litter became increasingly inhibitory to bacteria. The results suggest that inexpensive ways of increasing environmental complexity are effective in improving housing for primates.

Introduced Species And The Issue Of Animal Welfare, Michael Hutchins, Victoria Stevens, Natasha Atkins

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Recently, considerable debate has been heard about the control or elimination of introduced or "exotic" animals on publicly held U.S. lands. Species introductions, whether intentional or unintentional, seem to be an inevitable result of human activities. Still, they may result in economic and ecological problems: It has been estimated that over 90 percent of all such introductions have been harmful in some respect. Control of exotics can be accomplished through containment, shooting, poisoning, reintroduction of native predators, the introduction of disease organisms, live capture and removal, and reproductive inhibition.

The Oxford Vegetarians - A Personal Account, Peter Singer

Human Health Collection

People coming together more or less by accident can have a catalytic effect on each other, so that each achieves more than he or she would have done alone. The Bloomsbury Group--G.E. Moore, Virginia and Leonard Woolf, E.M. Forster, J.M. Keynes, Vanessa and Clive Bell, Lytton Strachey and others--is a famous example. It would be immodest to suggest that the group of vegetarians who were together in Oxford from 1969 to about 1971 can compare with these illustrious figures; yet if the animal liberation movement ever succeeds in transforming our attitudes to other species, the Oxford Vegetarians may one day …

Laboratory Animals: Unification Of Legislation In Europe, H. Rozemond

Laboratory Experiments Collection

A committee of experts within the Council of Europe is currently making preparations for a European convention on the protection of laboratory animals. The committee has been designated as the Comite Ad Hoc pour Ia Protection des Animaux (CAHPA). The Council of Europe, the sponsoring organization, is an institution whose chief goal is the peaceful cooperation of most European countries concerning cultural, economic, and social affairs; expressly excluded are matters of military concern. The countries represented on the Council include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Greec:e, Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, the …

Horse Racing And Drug Abuse: Untangling The Issues Involved, Dana Murphy

Equines Collection

Some time during mid-january, hearings on a new bill, intended to stop the misuse of drugs in racehorses, will be held in the U.S. Senate. The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) wholeheartedly supports the bill and, in fact, worked with the American Horse Protection Association as one of the co-authors of its specific provisions. But to many sectors of the racing industry, the bill is anathema. They believe that enactment of this legislation will surely spell financial ruin for the racetracks of America, given the costs that will be entailed in foregoing the alleged benefits of drugs, and in …

A Message From Pano, William G. Conway

Zoos and Aquariums Collection

The memo attached was found in an unstamped envelope with no return address on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo. It appears to have been written by a chimpanzee on assignment from a clandestine organization in Africa.

A Strategy For Dog-Owner Education (Response), Ian Dunbar

Pets Collection

I have read with interest the response by Graham Henderson of the Toronto Humane Society (lnt J Stud Anim Prob 2(6):305-309, 1981). I agree with many of his statements and am pleased that he, in turn, agreed with most of mine, although at first, this was not entirely apparent. In fact, I found Mr. Henderson's letter to be somewhat confusing, and it contained a number of inaccuracies and contradictions. So, please bear with me if I go into some detail to try to unravel the confusion.

Experiences In The Protection Of The Large Predators In Finland, Erkki Pulliainen

Ecology Collection

During the nineteenth century, the large predators of Finland- wolf, bear, lynx, and wolverine- were exterminated in the southern and western regions of the country. There were almost no lynx by the late 1950s, but a protection order issued in 1968 has resulted in a steady increase in their number, to about 300 by 1980. There was a breeding population of wolverines until the late 1960s, but in the 1970s, most were killed by snowmobiles, and only 10-30 are now thought to inhabit the frontiers between Finland and the USSR, and Finland and Norway. Bears, in the 1970s, tended to …

Attitudes Toward Animal Suffering: An Exploratory Study, John Braithwaite, Valerie Braithwaite

Attitudes Towards Animals Collection

A total of 302 undergraduates in the social sciences and the humanities, at two Australian universities, were given a questionnaire designed to explore public attitudes toward animal suffering. The results, though preliminary, strongly suggest that attitudes may be in great part supportive of animal welfare and animal rights. However, as reflected in the answers to the questionnaire, actual behavior does not always follow suit. The recommendation is made that the animal welfare/animal rights movement should perhaps place more emphasis on raising people's awareness of the inconsistencies between their attitudes toward animals and their behavior concerning them.

Genetic Adaptation In Relation To Animal Welfare, R. G. Beilharz

Genetics Collection

In this essay I outline the processes of adaptation of animals and of animal populations and discuss their relevance to the problem of animal welfare. Because "animal welfare" has many different aspects including philosophical, ethical, and biological, it is important to examine some of the fundamental issues that underly the concept. Hence, in this essay, I comment on how people come to "know," how information accumulates, and how what we know influences our actions. I also discuss the biological information that is relevant to animal welfare. It is my hope that, when this topic has been placed within a broader …

Updating The British Cruelty To Animals Act Of 1876: Can The Center Hold?, Judith E. Hampson

Laws and Legislation Collection

Long experience with unsuccessful attempts by British animal welfare groups to promote private members' bills for reform or rep I a cement of the 1876 Cruelty to Animals Act (Viet. C. 77, 1876) has convinced reformists that achieving this kind of change by lobbying Parliament may be impossible. It was for this reason that a small reformist group- spearheaded by the ex-chairman of the Labour Party, Lord Houghton, and an eminent surgeon, the late Lord Platt- was formed and drafted reform proposals in a document widely known as the Houghton/Piatt Memorandum (paper submitted to the Home Secretary, 1976). This report …

Unnecessary Suffering: Definition And Evidence, Frank Hurnik, Hugh Lehman

Attitudes Towards Animals Collection

Although it is possible to formulate stronger moral principles than "animals should not be made to suffer unnecessarily," there are significant grounds for doubting these stronger principles. But the principle that underlies the dictum regarding unnecessary suffering is generally recognized as valid, since denial of it implies that we can do whatever we want with animals, a conclusion that is usually considered unacceptable. A determination of whether any particular instance of suffering is necessary or unnecessary must be based on an analysis of both the seriousness of the purpose of the act that involves pain in animals, and its relative …

Striving For Common Ground: Humane And Scientific Considerations In Contemporary Wildlife Management, Stephen R. Kellert

Nature Collection

Although there is a diversity of opinion about how to view the relationship between humans and wildlife, recent political pressures from the current administration make it mandatory that these diverse groups coalesce to use their combined leverage to halt the planned incursions into the remaining habitats of wildlife. It is also important to begin to see nature as a complex and interrelated whole, and to respect the integrity of that whole, rather than simply select individual species for affection and protection.

Bureaucracy And Wildlife: A Historical Overview, Edward E. Langenau

Laws and Legislation Collection

This paper provides a framework for understanding the Government's position on many wildlife topics, including humane ethics. The historical role of Government in wildlife conservation is traced in relation to pertinent theories of bureaucracy. It is shown that Government involvement in wildlife conservation increased through successive stages of change because of interest group activity.

These periods of increased Government involvement in wildlife matters are shown to have followed periods of resource exploitation. Recurrent cycles of exploitation, accompanied by economic prosperity, have then been followed by attitudes favorable to conservation and political activism. This, in turn, has produced periods of backlash …

Effects Of Psycho-Physiological Stress On Captive Dolphins, Nick Carter

Conservation Collection

Morgane (1978) has stated that:

Man sees all other creatures through the narrow focus of his own knowledge and sees the whole image in distortion. We patronize animals for their incompleteness and dependence and for their fate in having taken form so far below ourselves ... a great mistake, for animals should not and cannot, be measured by man. Many are gifted with many extensions of senses we have lost or never attained .... They live by voices we may never hear. Some may not be our accepted brethren, but also they are not our underlings.

If this "narrow focus …

No Need To Be Boxed In: Group Pens And Grain For Veal Calves, Michael S. Mosner

Agribusiness Collection

My family has been in the wholesale veal business for 30 years. The basis of this business has been various breeds of female beef calves that are slaughtered at less than 500 lb. These calves are allowed to suck from cows and graze until they are ready for market. Beef calves, however, tend to vary in quality and quantity depending on the tjme of the year that they are purchased and raised. Generally, calves become scarce in the spring, when feeders are buying calves to put out on pasture. Then, in the summer and fall, large numbers of calves usually …