Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Chronology Of Significant Events, Meetings, And Publications Concerning The Welfare Of Laboratory And Farm Animals, Andrew N. Rowan

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The author reviews the development of animal protection concerns in the UK and the USA. Such developments include publications on animal rights, changes in legislation on laboratory and farm animals on both sides of the Atlantic, and the mention of noteworthy scientific publications.

Animal Liberation -The Modern Revival, Andrew N. Rowan

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

People have questioned why there has been such an explosion of interest in animal welfare and animal rights during this period. One fortuitous event was the gathering of a small group of vegetarians at Oxford University at the end of the 1960s.

The Oxford Vegetarians- A Personal Account, Peter Singer

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Peter Singer describes his encounters with a small group of vegetarians at Oxford University from 1969 to 1971 and some of the developments launched by those encounters with fellow philosophy students, including Richard Keshen, John Harris, and Roslind and Stanley Godlovitch. Others in Oxford at the time included philosopher Stephen Clark, theologian Andrew Linzey, and psychologist Richard Ryder. Members of the group have produced several landmark publications addressing the moral status of animals, including the initial volume, Animals, Men and Morals (edited by the Godlovitches and John Harris and published in 1971), Singer’s landmark volume, Animal Liberation in 1975, …

The "Show Dog" Syndrome, M. W. Fox

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The Show Dog Syndrome appears to be similar to reactive depression in humans. Overmeier has demonstrated such a syndrome – which he labeled “learned helplessness” – in dogs and argued that insecurity and an inability to predict and control traumatic environmental stimuli underlies the development of such a syndrome.

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

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

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 supported the bill and 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 setting up the drug …

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

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

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. Though preliminary, the results strongly suggest that attitudes may greatly support 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 emphasize raising people's awareness of the inconsistencies between their attitudes toward animals and their behavior.

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

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The author outlines the adaptation processes of animals and animal populations and discusses their relevance to the animal welfare problem. Because "animal welfare" has many different aspects, including philosophical, ethical, and biological, it is important to examine some fundamental issues underlying the concept. Hence, in this essay, the author comments on how people come to "know," how information accumulates, and how what we know influences our actions. The author also discusses the biological information that is relevant to animal welfare. When this topic has been placed within a broader framework, more generally useful solutions to the "animal welfare problem" may …

Letter To Editor: Behavior Inconsistent With Attitudes?, Mary T. Phillips

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

I welcome John and Valerie Braithwaite's survey on "Attitudes Toward Animal Suffering" (tnt j Stud Anim Prob 3(1):42-49, 1982) as a good beginning in establishing a much-needed empirical basis for discussions of the issue. Their selection of survey items is exceptionally well designed, providing a systematic comparison of attitudes across relevant values of several important variables. However, in my opinion, the Braithwaites' analysis of the data obtained reflects a mistaken assumption that one can infer behavior from written responses to a questionnaire. The findings also indicate that attitudes to animal research are strongly influenced by the pain level the animal …

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

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

This paper provides a framework for understanding the Government's position on many wildlife topics, including humane ethics. The Government's historical role in wildlife conservation is traced 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.

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

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

“Morgane (1978) has stated that: Man sees all other creatures through the narrow focus of his knowledge

and sees the whole image in distortion.” But dolphins are extraordinary creatures with complex behavior patterns and capabilities. Humans who appreciate dolphins are almost unanimous “in agreeing that familiarity breeds awe..”. It is suggested that the conditions of capture and confinement may be as stressful to dolphins as they would be for humans. Evidence in support of this speculation is presented. An examination of hundreds of dolphins who died after being caught in trawl nets indicated that only 5% had water in their …

The Judeo-Christian Tradition And The Human/Animal Bond, James A. Rimbach

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

This paper surveys the role of animal imagery in the literature of the Old Testament and in post-biblical Jewish literature. The article also discusses biblical materials that speak to humankind's relation to animals. It assesses the subsequent use of these traditions to support or negate specific attitudes toward the natural environment.

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

Letter To Editor: Equine Behavior Problems, Sharon E. Cregier

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The author comments on two specific equine behavior problems – cribbing and pawing and suggests causes for each.

A Strategy For Dog-Owner Education, Ian Dunbar

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The author responds to an article by Graham Henderson of the Toronto Humane Society (lJSAP 2(6):305-309, 1981) commenting on his proposal regarding the education of dog owners. He agreed with many of Henderson's statements and was pleased that Henderson, in turn, agreed with most of the author's points. However, he notes that he found Mr. Henderson's article to contain several inaccuracies and contradictions addressed here. The author recaps his proposed program of Dog Owner Education and reemphasizes some of its major points. The primary intention is to promote an early license application: preferably before the owner acquires a dog, but …

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

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Although it is possible to formulate more robust moral principles than "animals should not be made to suffer unnecessarily," there are significant grounds for doubting these more robust 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. This conclusion is usually considered unacceptable. A determination of any particular instance of suffering is necessary or unnecessary must be based on analysis of the seriousness of the act's purpose that involves the suffering of animals and its relative avoidability, as well …

Book Review Of "Self-Awareness In Domesticated Animals", M. W. Fox

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

These conference Proceedings contains a selection of valuable papers and discussion that deal with such topics as pain sensation and pain reactions in animals, bodily awareness, awareness and self-awareness, emotions, and display of emotions, and the problem of distinguishing awareness from responsiveness. This last topic was the subject of the opening presentation by D.R. Griffin, who emphasized that further studies of animal communication might serve as a "window" to animals' thoughts and also cautioned that the possibility of self-awareness in social insects should not be ruled out simply because their behavior is often genetically determined and relatively stereotypic. However, the …

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: 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.

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.