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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Welfare Of Non-Traditional Pets, Catherine A. Schuppli, David Fraser, H. J. Bacon
Welfare Of Non-Traditional Pets, Catherine A. Schuppli, David Fraser, H. J. Bacon
David Fraser, PhD
The keeping of non-traditional or ‘exotic’ pets has been growing in popularity worldwide. In addition to the typical welfare challenges of keeping more traditional pet species like dogs and cats, ensuring the welfare of non-traditional pets is complicated by factors such as lack of knowledge, difficulties meeting requirements in the home and where and how animals are obtained. This paper uses examples of different species to highlight three major welfare concerns: ensuring that pets under our care i) function well biologically, ii) are free from negative psychological states and able to experience normal pleasures, and iii) lead reasonably natural lives. …
A ‘‘Practical’’ Ethic For Animals, David Fraser
A ‘‘Practical’’ Ethic For Animals, David Fraser
David Fraser, PhD
Drawing on the features of ‘‘practical philosophy’’ described by Toulmin (1990), a ‘‘practical’’ ethic for animals would be rooted in knowledge of how people affect animals, and would provide guidance on the diverse ethical concerns that arise. Human activities affect animals in four broad ways: (1) keeping animals, for example, on farms and as companions, (2) causing intentional harm to animals, for example through slaughter and hunting, (3) causing direct but unintended harm to animals, for example by cropping practices and vehicle collisions, and (4) harming animals indirectly by disturbing life-sustaining processes and balances of nature, for example by habitat …