Animal Studies Commons^™

Equine Behavior Problems In Relation To Humane Management, Katherine A. Houpt

Equines Collection

The behavior problems of horses are frequently related to management practices. Behaviors that are termed stall vices appear to be either stereotyped behaviors that occur in reaction to stress, or patterns that emerge when natural behaviors such as grazing are prevented. The behavior cases presented to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, were tabulated: 27% were stall vices and 27% were some form of aggression. The stall vices were circling, digging, kicking the stall, chewing wood, swallowing air or self-mutilation. Management of horses on pasture rather than in stalls prevents the development of many of these …

The Role And Responsibility Of Zoos: An Animal Protection Viewpoint, John E. Cooper

Zoos and Aquariums Collection

The aim of this paper is to look at zoological collections from the viewpoint of the animal and, in particular, to draw attention to areas where welfare considerations should be paramount. I do not intend to cover the capture and transportation of zoo animals, although this is obviously of great importance and must be included in any overall consideration of the welfare of zoo animals. In this paper, however, I shall concentrate upon the care of the animal within the zoo environment.

A Function Of The Subelytral Chamber Of Tenebrionid Beetles, Con Slobodchikoff, Kim Wisman

Entomology Collection

1. The subelytral chamber is an air space between the elytra and the dorsum of the abdomen of some Tenebrionid beetles. Postulated functions for the subelytral chamber have been a reduction of transpiratory water loss and a thermal buffer for heat flow from the elytra to the abdomen.

2. We show that there is a significant correlation between water loss and the depth of the subelytral chamber.

3. This implies that the chamber may be a structure that permits the rapid expansion of the abdomen, providing the beetles with a mechanism by which they can quickly drink large quantities of …

Beyond Conspecifics: Is Brer Rabbit Our Brother?, Gordon Burghardt, Harold Herzog

Experimentation Collection

Today, on many fronts, there is renewed interest in our relationship with nonhuman animals. Many factors have contributed to this concern. Environmental and ecological awareness has drawn public attention to the near extermination of many species and the detrimental effects of pollution, pesticides, and habitat destruction. The inefficiency of transmuting vegetable protein to meat has added to the traditional moral arguments of vegetarians. The widespread questioning of government support for basic research has been intertwined with suspicions about the use and worth of any studies on animals, even those purporting to help understand human medical and behavioral problems. New evidence …

Ethology And Laboratory Animal Welfare, James A. Cohen

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

No abstract provided.

Stress: What Is It And How Can It Be Quantified?, T. H. Friend

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

An animal may be considered to be in a state of stress if abnormal behavior or extreme adjustments in its behavior or physiology are necessary in order to cope with adverse aspects of its environment. Methods used to determine if an animal is stressed can be either behavioral or physiological. Behavioral methods may be highly erroneous due to their subjective nature since alterations in behavior do not necessarily prove that an animal is stressed. There is no single measure of stress that can be used in all situations at this time. Every measure must be critically evaluated to ensure that …

Problems With Kosher Slaughter, Temple Grandin

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Ritual slaughter to produce kosher meat is rooted in the teachings and writings of the Talmud. However, the preslaughter handling features of modern systems, particularly the shackling and hoisting of large steers, contravene the basic message of humaneness included in the teachings. The throat-cutting of a live, conscious animal is relatively pain-free, provided that certain precautions are followed, but U.S. kosher plants need to install newly developed conveyor-restrainer systems to eliminate the abuses of shackling and hoisting. Conveyor-restrainer systems for large and small animals are discussed.

The Psychological Relations Hip Between Dairy Cows And Dairy Cowmen And Its Implications For Animal Welfare, Martin F. Seabrook

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Stress On Livestock And Meat Quality Prior To And During Slaughter, Temple Grandin

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The effects of stress on cattle, pigs and sheep prior to slaughter are reviewed. Long-term preslaughter stress, such as fighting, cold weather, fasting and transit, which occurs 12 to 48 hours prior to slaughter depletes muscle glycogen, resulting in meat which has a higher pH, darker color, and is drier. Short-term acute stress, such as excitement or fighting immediately prior to slaughter, produced lactic acid from the breakdown of glycogen. This results in meat which has a lower pH, lighter color, reduced water binding capacity, and is possibly tougher. Psychological stressors, such as excitement and fighting, will often have a …

Roadside Zoos Are Not Zoos

Close Up Reports

The HSUS was one of the first national animal welfare organizations to take a long, hard look at all zoos, including roadside menageries. During the last nine years, we have worked intensively, conducting zoo inspections, public education and awareness programs, and developing a working relationship with the professional zoological community as well as U.S. Government agencies charged with the welfare of animals.

Roadside Zoos Are Not Zoos

Close Up Reports

HSUS launches campaign against more than 1,000 menageries of misery

A Review Of The Behavioural Mechanism Of Milk Ejection Of The Domestic Pig, David Fraser

Feeding Behavior Collection

The domestic pig has complex nursing and suckling behaviour, consisting of several distinct phases of suckling by the piglets and a characteristic pattern of grunting by the sow. A review of observations and experimental findings suggests cause-and-effect relationships between the different elements of sow and piglet behaviour, and the relationship of the behaviour to milk ejection. Characteristic features of pig nursing and suckling behaviour are interpreted as an adaptation promoting even distribution of milk among a number of precocious litter-mates.

Sampling Problems And Interpretation Of Chemical Analysis Of Mineral Springs Used By Wildlife, D. Fraser, E. Reardon, F. Dieken, B. Loescher

Habitat Assessment and Management Collection

Mineral-rich springs used by wildlife were studied in order to develop an appropriate sampling technique. The mineral content of the water varied spatially within a lick, apparently because of contamination by nonlick water and animal urine. The spring source usually could be located with a conductivity meter. Samples contaminated by animal urine could be recognized by their high N content and usually by their color. The distinctive chemical composition of licks is best appreciated by comparing filtered samples of lick water with nonlick water collected nearby. Field filtration was necessary when samples were preserved with acid for trace-metal analysis. Soil …

Live Animals In Car Crash Studies, Nancy Heneson

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

No abstract provided.

Meetings And Announcements

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

1. Meeting Report - Animals in Research
2. Announcement - Abstract exchange
3. New APHIS administrator
4. Newsletter on the Human-Companion Animal Bond
5. Veterinarians for Animal Protection
6. New editor for Equine Study Group
7. Bibliography of Animal Ethology

Definition Of The Concept Of ''Humane Treatment" In Relation To Food And Laboratory Animals, Bernard E. Rollin

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The very title of this talk makes a suggestion which must be forestalled, namely the idea that laboratory and food animals enjoy some exceptional moral status by virtue of the fact that we use them. In fact, it is extremely difficult to find any morally relevant grounds for distinguishing between food and laboratory animals and other animals and, far more dramatically, between animals and humans. The same conditions which require that we apply moral categories to humans rationally require that we apply them to animals as well. While it is obviously pragmatically impossible in our current sociocultural setting to expect …

Nsmr: Its Image, Direction And Future, J. Russell Lindsey

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The following speech was presented by Dr. Lindsey, Chairman of the University of Alabama Department of Comparative Medicine, at the Annual Board Meeting of the National Society for Medical Research (NSMR), Chicago, Illinois, November 10, 1979.

Laboratory Animals And Alternatives In The 80'S, Andrew N. Rowan

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

No abstract provided.

Drugs & Horse Racing

Close Up Reports

HSUS working to end use of drugs at tracks--new bill introduced in House & Senate

The Social Ecology Of Coyotes, Marc Bekoff, Michael C. Wells

Ethology Collection

No abstract provided.

Animals Are Suffering: Hsus Seeks To End Rabbit Blinding Tests

Close Up Reports

The research industry has long held that the use of animals is the only "reliable" way we have of determining the safety of a cosmetic, drug, or household product. Over the years this belief has served to support scientists as they subjected animals to many tests. The American public has seen little of the massive animal suffering that has taken place in the research labs.

Today, a new debate is taking place. People from all walks of life are asking if all the suffering and death is worth it. Many research scientists have joined the ranks of those who are …

The Public Governance Of Science And Research Animal Welfare, T. E. Malone

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The following is excerpted from a speech given by Dr. Thomas E. Malone, Deputy Director of the National Institutes of Health, at the 26th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Scientists (AALAS), Anaheim, California, October 5, 1977.

Bruises And Carcass Damage, Temple Grandin

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Bruising and carcass damage is a major source of financial loss to slaughterhouses in the United States, approximately $46 million per annum. The absence of easily administered tests to determine where and/or when bruising occurs results in the slaughter plant absorbing carcass damage costs. Rough, abusive handling of livestock accounts for over half of all bruising. Injuries occur through overuse of persuaders, careless transport methods, and faulty equipment. Other elements relevant to carcass loss include branding cattle, abscesses, spreader and crippling injuries, sickness and death during extreme weather conditions, and carcass shrink. The 1979 regulations under the Humane Methods of …

Live Animals In Car Crash Studies, Nancy Heneson

Experimentation Collection

The scientific rationale for using live animals in car crash studies proceeds from the argument that comparative biomedical and biomechanical data are needed to develop an instrumented dummy, or anthropomorphic test device, which will provide reliable, reproducible information for designing safe cars. The animal studies are thus not really ends in themselves, i.e., they do not supply data which can be readily applied to real situations. Instead, they contribute to a pool of information which is supposed to lead to the perfecting of an experimental subject (the instrumented dummy) which will eventually render the further use of Iive animals unnecessary.

Nsmr: Its Image, Direction And Future, J. Russell Lindsey

Experimentation Collection

The point I wish to emphasize is that NSMR, like all of its predecessors representing the scientific community, has consistently maintained a defensive posture while claiming that a// practices of animal use and care within the biomedical community have been "lily white." In my judgment, this has been a major tactical error because abuses of freedoms to use animals in research too frequently have been and continue to be common knowledge (e.g., Science, Editorial, 1976). NSMR's complete unwillingness to face up to these realities and torespond positively to the public's legitimate concerns has led to the inevitable loss of credibility …

Bringing Nature Into The Zoo: Inexpensive Solutions For Zoo Environments, David Hancocks

Zoos and Aquariums Collection

Animals in captivity have traditionally been kept in sterile and inappropriate environments. Typically this situation still prevails in zoos. Cages are designed only for restraint of the animals, expediency for the public, and convenient maintenance by keepers. The animals' behavioral needs are often ignored. By using nature as a norm, and by using natural materials, the spatial and temporal environment of a captive animal can be easily and greatly enriched. Several examples which have been used at Woodland Park Zoological Gardens are discussed. Their application and expansion are appropriate for most urban zoos.

Amputation Of Vibrissae In Show Dogs, Thomas E. Mcgill

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

Dogs of many different breeds competing in the show-ring are routinely subjected to amputation of the vibrissae, organs that are commonly and incorrectly called "whiskers." This procedure is thought to give the animal's head a cleaner look, which in turn supposedly increases its chances of winning. There are several tricks involved in "whisker trimming" since the animals can retract each vibrissae at least one-quarter inch. Furthermore, they often object strenuously to the operation.

Stress: What Is It And How Can It Be Quantified?, T. H. Friend

Sentience Collection

An animal may be considered to be in a state of stress if abnormal behavior or extreme adjustments in its behavior or physiology are necessary in order to cope with adverse aspects of its environment. Methods used to determine if an animal is stressed can be either behavioral or physiological. Behavioral methods may be highly erroneous due to their subjective nature since alterations in behavior do not necessarily prove that an animal is stressed. There is no single measure of stress that can be used in all situations at this time. Every measure must be critically evaluated to ensure that …

Ethology And Laboratory Animal Welfare, James A. Cohen

Laboratory Experiments Collection

At its annual conference, held this June at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, the Animal Behavior Society (ABS) passed a resolution opposing HR 4805, a bill which would establish a National Center for Alternative Research to develop and coordinate alternative methods of research and testing which do not involve the use of live animals. The ABS, which represents some 1750 North American animal behavior researchers, took issue with the bill on the grounds that: a) it discourages replication of previously-obtained results, b) there are currently no satisfactory substitutes for live animals in behavioral research, c) it would complicate and …

Pain-Infliction In Animal Research, Dorothy Tennov

Experimentation Collection

A summary of research outlining the main sources of pain and stress to animals in laboratories provides the background for the results of a survey conducted by the author on how students feel about experimentation involving animals. The psychological aspects of student reaction to animal experimentation are examined. The conclusion outlines specific recommendations on ways to minimize pain and discomfort of laboratory animals.