Animal Welfare and Protection

Editor: Justin Healey ISBN 978 1 921507 09 0 Year 2009 Price: $20.95		Animal Welfare and Protection Volume 299, Issues in Society As the dominant creatures on the planet, humans are nonetheless highly reliant on animals for many things. The extent of humans’ use of animals in food, research, clothing, entertainment, sport and companionship is immeasurable. This book features a range of information about the wellbeing and protection of animals, much of which is produced by animal welfare advocacy groups. The book contains three chapters: Animal Welfare and Rights; Animal Use in Research and Testing; and Animal Use and Exploitation. Featured issues include human attitudes and opinions about animals, animal-based scientific and medical experimentation, animals in product testing, factory farming, treatment of pets, the use of animals in sport and entertainment, and the beliefs and practices of vegans and vegetarians. Do we treat animals humanely enough? Chapter 1: Animal Welfare and Rights Animal welfare, Animal welfare roles and responsibilities, Human attitudes and opinions about animals, Animal rights, Animal rights FAQ. Chapter 2: Animals in Research and Testing Benefits of animal-based science, A very brief history of biomedical developments, Minimising the harm done to animals in science – the three Rs, Animal experiments FAQs, Tests on animals, Cruelty free products. Chapter 3: Animal Use and Exploitation What is factory farming?, Free range and organic farming definitions, Chicken factories, Dairy cattle, An industry defends itself ..., Mulesing, Live animal export trade, Animals are not ours to wear, Go vegan – for animals, "Vegetarianism" definitions, Animals are not ours to eat, Companion animals – a cherished part of Australian life, Responsible pet ownership – what does it mean?, Pet care basics, Animals are not ours for entertainment. Glossary; Fast Facts; Web Links; Index

		FAST FACTS from this volume
Much confusion surrounds the terms animal welfare, animal rights and animal ethics. This confusion is understandable because the terms are linked. There are many definitions of animal welfare, but one of the simplest to understand is that animal welfare is about how well or badly an animal is doing in coping with the situation it is in. The attitudes about the treatment of animals by humans have changed dramatically over the last 400 years. – In the 1600s animals were thought to be unfeeling machines that didn’t feel pain or pleasure, and so humans could do whatever they wished to them. – During the 1700s, debate began about the thinking and feeling capabilities of animals and whether this should affect human treatment of them. – By the 1800s opinions had started to change, and the first laws were passed in the UK to prevent wanton acts of cruelty to animals. – During the 1900s concern about human treatment of other animals, particularly in the areas of biomedical research and intensive farming, became a major issue for the general community. In society today there is a wide range of attitudes with regard to human treatment of animals. At one end of the spectrum are those who believe that animals do not suffer and, therefore, can have anything done to them, or that humans are superior beings and have a right to use animals in any way, and do not care if animals suffer and die. At the other extreme are those who think that humans should not use animals in any way and believe that all animals (human and non-human) should be treated equally. The majority of people fit somewhere between these extremes. Most people who subscribe to the animal rights philosophy wish to change the status of animals because they believe that humans over-exploit them and use them in unacceptable ways. There is a range of opinions and attitudes amongst members of animal rights organisations; most believe that animals should not be used for entertainment (e.g. rodeos, circuses, racing, hunting) and reared and slaughtered for food. Most believe that animals should only be used for research that is vital for human and animal health, but some believe that they should not be used for any kind of research. There are also those that believe animals should not be kept as pets (regarding this as a type of ‘slavery’). Some specific benefits of animal-based science include the development of anaesthetics, antiseptics, asepsis and antibiotics, and vaccines. Animal-based scientists are required by law to make sure that they keep any pain, suffering or other harm they cause to the animals they use for research, teaching and testing as low as possible. The Three Rs Principle is applied at the planning stages before any direct work with animals begins. Its purpose is to help scientists to minimise the invasiveness, unpleasantness or noxiousness of anything they do to animals. The Three Rs Principle is a practical guide to scientists. It is designed to ensure that: – Animals which might suffer are only used when necessary (Replacement), – That no more and no fewer animals are used than are re-quired to achieve the objectives of the work (Reduction), – That if any noxiousness is caused during the work, it is kept as low as possible (Refinement). Approximately 7 million animals are used in research each year in Australia alone. It has been estimated that at least twenty to thirty animals die in laboratories each second worldwide. Today, many cosmetic and household product companies have turned their backs on animal testing and begun taking advantage of the many sophisticated non-animal test methods available, which range from cell and tissue cultures to computerised “structure-activity relationship” models. Human cell culture tests have been found to predict toxicity in humans with much greater accuracy than animal tests. The most effective way that any person can reduce animal suffering is to refuse to buy cruel products. Anyone who cares about animals should examine their lifestyle and eliminate actions and products that cause harm. Factory farming is the way the vast majority of animals in Australia are raised for food. Animals farmed this way include chickens (both egg layers and broilers, or meat chickens); turkeys; pigs and about half a million of Australia’s cattle are reared in the confined space of feedlots. They are reared intensively, i.e. They are confined indoors the duration of their unnaturally shortened lives. In 2007 approximately 470 million chickens were killed for their meat in Australia. That’s roughly the equivalent of twice the population of Sydney – every week. The majority of meat chickens are factory farmed and spend their entire lives confined in big sheds where they are housed with tens of thousands of other birds. In Australia over 6 million pigs are slaughtered for meat each year. More than 98% of these pigs are raised in intensive ‘farms’. Cows raised for for their flesh in Australia are either kept in paddocks or feedlots. In Australia around 488 million chickens are slaughtered for their flesh each year. Around 96% of these are raised in intensive broiler sheds which typically house 40,000-60,000 birds per shed. Sheep born in Australia are exploited for their hair (wool) and for their flesh. Most chickens that are exploited for their eggs in Australia are kept in cages for their entire short life – commonly called ‘battery cages’. Like all other mammals, including humans, a cow must become pregnant in order to produce milk. Therefore, cows must have a calf each year in order for humans to take their milk. At least 200,000 healthy cats and dogs are killed in Australia each year. Up to 96% of stray and surrendered cats and kittens, and 60% of stray and surrendered dogs are killed in some pounds and shelters.

Much confusion surrounds the terms animal welfare, animal rights and animal ethics. This confusion is understandable because the terms are linked.
There are many definitions of animal welfare, but one of the simplest to understand is that animal welfare is about how well or badly an animal is doing in coping with the situation it is in.
The attitudes about the treatment of animals by humans have changed dramatically over the last 400 years.
– In the 1600s animals were thought to be unfeeling machines that didn’t feel pain or pleasure, and so humans could do whatever they wished to them.
– During the 1700s, debate began about the thinking and feeling capabilities of animals and whether this should affect human treatment of them.
– By the 1800s opinions had started to change, and the first laws were passed in the UK to prevent wanton acts of cruelty to animals.
– During the 1900s concern about human treatment of other animals, particularly in the areas of biomedical research and intensive farming, became a major issue for the general community.
In society today there is a wide range of attitudes with regard to human treatment of animals. At one end of the spectrum are those who believe that animals do not suffer and, therefore, can have anything done to them, or that humans are superior beings and have a right to use animals in any way, and do not care if animals suffer and die. At the other extreme are those who think that humans should not use animals in any way and believe that all animals (human and non-human) should be treated equally. The majority of people fit somewhere between these extremes.
Most people who subscribe to the animal rights philosophy wish to change the status of animals because they believe that humans over-exploit them and use them in unacceptable ways.
There is a range of opinions and attitudes amongst members of animal rights organisations; most believe that animals should not be used for entertainment (e.g. rodeos, circuses, racing, hunting) and reared and slaughtered for food. Most believe that animals should only be used for research that is vital for human and animal health, but some believe that they should not be used for any kind of research. There are also those that believe animals should not be kept as pets (regarding this as a type of ‘slavery’).
Some specific benefits of animal-based science include the development of anaesthetics, antiseptics, asepsis and antibiotics, and vaccines.
Animal-based scientists are required by law to make sure that they keep any pain, suffering or other harm they cause to the animals they use for research, teaching and testing as low as possible. The Three Rs Principle is applied at the planning stages before any direct work with animals begins. Its purpose is to help scientists to minimise the invasiveness, unpleasantness or noxiousness of anything they do to animals.
The Three Rs Principle is a practical guide to scientists. It is designed to ensure that:
– Animals which might suffer are only used when necessary (Replacement),
– That no more and no fewer animals are used than are re-quired to achieve the objectives of the work (Reduction),
– That if any noxiousness is caused during the work, it is kept as low as possible (Refinement).
Approximately 7 million animals are used in research each year in Australia alone. It has been estimated that at least twenty to thirty animals die in laboratories each second worldwide.
Today, many cosmetic and household product companies have turned their backs on animal testing and begun taking advantage of the many sophisticated non-animal test methods available, which range from cell and tissue cultures to computerised “structure-activity relationship” models. Human cell culture tests have been found to predict toxicity in humans with much greater accuracy than animal tests.
The most effective way that any person can reduce animal suffering is to refuse to buy cruel products. Anyone who cares about animals should examine their lifestyle and eliminate actions and products that cause harm.
Factory farming is the way the vast majority of animals in Australia are raised for food. Animals farmed this way include chickens (both egg layers and broilers, or meat chickens); turkeys; pigs and about half a million of Australia’s cattle are reared in the confined space of feedlots. They are reared intensively, i.e. They are confined indoors the duration of their unnaturally shortened lives.
In 2007 approximately 470 million chickens were killed for their meat in Australia. That’s roughly the equivalent of twice the population of Sydney – every week. The majority of meat chickens are factory farmed and spend their entire lives confined in big sheds where they are housed with tens of thousands of other birds.
In Australia over 6 million pigs are slaughtered for meat each year. More than 98% of these pigs are raised in intensive ‘farms’.
Cows raised for for their flesh in Australia are either kept in paddocks or feedlots.
In Australia around 488 million chickens are slaughtered for their flesh each year. Around 96% of these are raised in intensive broiler sheds which typically house 40,000-60,000 birds per shed.
Sheep born in Australia are exploited for their hair (wool) and for their flesh.
Most chickens that are exploited for their eggs in Australia are kept in cages for their entire short life – commonly called ‘battery cages’.
Like all other mammals, including humans, a cow must become pregnant in order to produce milk. Therefore, cows must have a calf each year in order for humans to take their milk.
At least 200,000 healthy cats and dogs are killed in Australia each year. Up to 96% of stray and surrendered cats and kittens, and 60% of stray and surrendered dogs are killed in some pounds and shelters.