Animal Studies Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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.

Farm Animal Welfare: Some Economic Considerations, Frances Turner, John Strak

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

There has been increasing public concern in the U.K. and other European countries about some of the intensive methods of livestock production used in modern agriculture. The battery system of egg production, which produces almost all of the eggs consumed in Britain, has aroused particular opposition, but there is also strong feeling about housing systems that effectively immobilize their inhabitants, such as certain types of veal calf and pig rearing units. In a recent test case in West Germany, an egg producer was charged with "continuous cruelty" to his 60,000-strong battery flock. A high court decided it was cruel to …

News And Reviews

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

1. Companion Animals - Progress in Sheltering and Control

2. Laboratory Animals - AAALAC Chairman Deplores Lack of Controls on Animal Research

3. Laboratory Animals - Revlon Funds Draize Test Initiative

4, Farm Animals Biotin and Farm Animal Welfare

5. Farm Animals - U.K. Report on Transport and Slaughter

6. Farm Animals - USAHA Wants Welfare Research

7. Wildlife Scoline and Culling Operations

8. Badgers Cowed by MAFF Report

Letter To Editor: Usda And The Dog Breeding Industry, Usda Response, Suzy Brown, Pierre A. Chaloux, Max B. Heppner

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Brown critiques claims regarding improved regulation of the dog breeding industry with a response by Chaloux and Heppner of the USDA,

Farm Animal Welfare: Some Opinions, Michael W. Fox

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The subject of farm animal welfare has evoked a wide range of responses from those involved in the livestock industry and those concerned about the humaneness of intensive husbandry farming practices. Books have been published

on the subject (Harrison, 1964; Mason & Singer, 1980; Dawkins, 1980, and Fox, 1980 and 1981), as well as many articles in professional and popular magazines. Three international symposia dealing with animal rights have

been held in the last two years (Lehman, 1980; Miller, 1981; Paterson and Ryder, 1980), and a major European conference dealing with farm animal welfare and involving veterinarians, farmers, animal scientists, …

Letter To Editor: Clever Hans And The Humane Movement, Susan Burns

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The author suggests that attempts to encourage animal communication with humans overlook the sophisticated communication methods employed by animals. A greater appreciation of animal abilities to identify cues communicating human intentions would promote a more expansive recognition of animal rights.

The Politics Of Animal Rights: Making The Human Connection, Jim Mason

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Animal Rights is in the air, so much so that the term borders on becoming a buzzword and the cause itself the latest form of radical chic. Although Lewis Gompertz, Henry S. Salt, and others put forth radically different views on attitudes and relations toward other animals more than a century ago, the publication in 1972 of essays by Brigid Brophy, Richard Ryder, and others in the book, Animals, Men and Morals (London: Gollancz, 1971; New York: Taplinger, 1972) and the more famous book, Animal Liberation, by Peter Singer (New York Review, 1975) have sparked another wave of these views …

Animal Welfare, Rights And 'Liberation', Michael W. Fox

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

A distinction that is more than mere semantics needs to be made between specific philosophical and political trends in the humane movement. The movement's historical basis is founded upon the morality of promoting kindness toward all creatures: reverence for all life. This approach has been strengthened by integrating ecological or eco-ethical principles and the emerging interdisciplinary animal welfare science. Furthermore, the movement has been enriched by the scholarship of moral philosophy, including the limited but valuable concept of animal 'rights.'

A Reply To ''Animal Welfare, Rights And 'Liberation"' By M.W. Fox, Jim Mason

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

A distinction that is more than mere semantics needs to be made between specific philosophical and political trends in the humane movement. The movement's historical basis is founded upon the morality of promoting kindness toward all creatures: reverence for all life. This approach has been strengthened by integrating ecological or eco-ethical principles and the emerging interdisciplinary animal welfare science. Furthermore, the movement has been enriched by the scholarship of moral philosophy, including the limited but valuable concept of animal 'rights.'

Social And Cognitive Capabilities Of Nonhuman Primates: Lessons From The Wild To Captivity, William C. Mcgrew

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

All anthropoid primates in nature lead highly social lives. In infancy and childhood, this is characterized by stability and familiarity for both sexes; in adulthood, either one or the other sex changes groups. The natal group provides a social network of matrilineal kinship. After sexual maturity, incest avoidance and exogamy are the rules. Significant differences exist across species and between the sexes in mating strategies. In most species, males emigrate, but in others, females do so. Male sexual behavior is based on competition between peers; females exercise choice in selecting sexual partners. Normal development of sexual behavior and maternal caretaking …

The Politics Of Animal Rights: Making The Human Connection, Jim Mason

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

Animal Rights is in the air, so much so that the term borders on becoming a buzzword and the cause itself the latest form of radical chic. Although Lewis Gompertz, Henry S. Salt, and others put forth radically different views on attitudes and

relations toward other animals more than a century ago, the publication in 1972 of essays by Brigid Brophy, Richard Ryder, and others in the book, Animals, Men and Morals (London: Gollancz, 1971; New York: Taplinger, 1972) and the more popular book, Animal Liberation, by Peter Singer (New York Review, 1975) have sparked another wave of these views …

History Of The Humane Movement And Prospects For The 80s, Robert A. Brown

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

It was in 1836 that the oldest humane society currently in existence, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was founded in London. Many others were formed during the nineteenth century, such as the organization I now represent, which was founded in Chicago in 1899. Above all else, there is one distinguishing feature of this period for me: the movement had what is known in Chicago as clout. In marked contrast to the years following the First World War, humane societies enjoyed support from individuals of wealth, influence, and brains. That was a high point for the …

Where To Put Your Choker, Roger A. Mugford

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The choke chain has become an indispensable aid in training dogs, but even the most time-hallowed practices deserve an occasional critical review. The author has recently completed an investigation into the uses and abuses of choke chains and failed to find any benefit from using a choker rather than a conventional leather collar. Indeed, there are some very considerable dangers and disadvantages associated with the device. These charges may sound like heresy to many dog trainers, but they may strike a sympathetic chord with others.

Letter To The Editor: Lnterspecific Affection In Animals, Gordon Gunter

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems

The author describes cases where baboons “adopt” kittens and two different species of seal interact to benefit the smaller species.