animal ethics Flashcards
animals - home office
protected animals
animals must be more than half way through their gestation (fertile) period
home office animal ethics
what are the 3 R’s?
replacement
reduction
refinement
animals - home office
replacement
animals should be replaced with suitable alternatives
animals - home office
reduction
protected animals must be reduced to a minimum IF they cannot be replaced
animals - home office
refinement
methods used in breeding, accommodation and care must be refined to reduce pain, suffering and distress
animals - bps guidelines
- confinement, stress should be minimised
- optimise research design to minimise numbers of animals used
- caging and social environment should be appropriate to the needs of the species
animals - ethical arguments
pain and distress
do animals experience pain the same way?
sheddon (2008)
injected rainbow trout with bee venom, found fish rocked indicating pain
treaty of lisbon 2009 declared animals sentient
animals - ethical arguments
speciesism
peter singer (1990) discrimination on the basis of species is no different to racism
ca - jeffrey gray (1991)
we have a special duty of care to humans, not equivalent
animals - ethical arguments
rights of animals
peter singer 1990
utilitarianism - greater good. animal research can alleviate pain and suffering
tom regan 1984
absolutist - no time animal research is acceptable
arguments FOR animal studies
- animals have fewer ethical issues, informed consent not required, would not be possible to keep humans in a lab over time
- complex behaviours can be studied and generalised e.g. aggression over generations
arguments AGAINST animal studies
- may not be generalisable, complex behaviours like addiction
- unethical, pain and suffering unavoidable
- guidelines unaffective - Carol Kilkenny 2009 reviewed animal studies and found poor design
