Threats to Individual Vertebrates Flashcards
At what level of vertebrate welfare do humans usually stop?
The level of species welfare and don’t dwell on individual suffering
Describe an example of indirect cruelty to animals
Population decline of polar bears because of global warming causing individual suffering during starvation and drowning
Two broad types of cruelty towards animals
Direct (cruelty towards individual wild or domestic animals)
Indirect (loss of sea ice)
4 reasons to protect individual animals
Intrinsic value
Compassion/moral obligation
Direct human benefits
Indirect human benefits
What are 3 reasons for protecting individual animals that benefits humans directly?
Greater productivity in food/draft animals
pleasure from healthy long-lived pets
Avoid being witness to suffering
What are 2 reasons for protecting individual animals that benefits humans indirectly?
Avoiding a slippery slope of marginalization
Prevent “violence connection”
- profiling violent offenders based on early abuse of animals
What is welfare?
The general health, happiness and safety of a person, an animal, or a group
What are 5 practical terms for welfare?
Freedom from: hunger and thirst distress pain, injury and disease discomfort and Freedom to express behaviors that promote well-being
What are 7 threats to animal welfare?
industrial agriculture
animal experiments
hunting/trapping
trade in pets, or animal products (bear bile)
breeding mills
entertainment: circus, exhibits, animal races or fights
human nature: ignorance, neglect, intentional/pathological cruelty
What kind of animals are affected by industrial agriculture?
hundreds of millions (650 million) food animals/year in Canada such as chicken (broilers/layers), cattle (meat: beef/veal), pigs etc.
harm from transport (broken legs)
What is a major reason for the supporters of veganism regarding animal welfare and the environment?
the livestock sector is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions (higher than transport!)
What are 4 causes of animal suffering in the industrial agriculture industry?
- space restriction in cages, stalls, crates, battery cages
- no pain management for dehorning, castration, beak-trimming, tail-docking
- inhumane transport and slaughter conditions where millions die in transport and have prolonged death during slaughter
- insufficient welfare law enforcement
How many animals are affected by animal testing each year in Canada?
millions (2 million from old stats) per year in Canada (hundreds of thousands are tested around their pain tolerance threshold
What kinds of species are affected by animal experiments?
mice, fish, rats, wildlife, domestic birds, cats, dogs, primates (nonhuman)
What are animals used for in animal experiments?
research, product testing, teaching (dissections), production of biological products, and about 20% for medical research
What kinds of animal welfare issues are involved with animal experiments?
stress, constraint, pain, mutilations, time/type of death (end point of models)
Unnecessary experiments
Insufficient welfare regulation (no pertinent federal or B.C. law)
How many species of what type are affected each year by hunting and trapping in Canada? And for what purposes?
About 5 million per year in Canada for food, fur, trophy
Commonly affected species are waterfowl, ungulates, seals, mustelids, bears canids, felids, raccoon, beaver etc.
What are 4 animal welfare issues with hunting and trapping?
The trapping methods
The hunting methods
Trophy shot vs. mercy shot
Insufficient welfare regulation (no pertinent federal or B.C. law)
What are some specific issues with trapping methods?
leg-hold traps, body-hold (conibear) traps, snares, deadfalls resulting in injury, pain, stress, prolonged death
What are some specific issues with hunting methods?
seal clubbing resulting in a high percentage of seals skinned alive or conscious
Why does practical application of alternatives lag behind proven research?
It is difficult to get industry to accept new methods. (Finances?)
What are the 3 R’s to consider before using animal testing?
Replacement
Reduction
Refinement
Name a few references for animal welfare science
University animal welfare programs
Interagency coordinating committee of the validation of alternative methods
Dr. Temple Grandin
Center for alternatives to animal testing
