Animal welfare
Emperor Ashoka issued orders against hunting and animal slaughter in the 3rd century BCE. His edicts aligned with ahimsa, the doctrine of non-violence that guided his rule over India. Genghis Khan protected wildlife in Mongolia during the breeding season from March to October in the 13th century CE. These early laws established a precedent for state-level protection of animals long before modern concepts existed.
In the Western world, Ireland passed an act in 1635 prohibiting plowing by the tail or pulling wool off living sheep. Massachusetts Colony enacted Liberty 92 and 93 in 1641 under Nathaniel Ward's leadership. The Edo period saw Tokugawa Tsunayoshi institute several laws relating to animal welfare, particularly towards dogs. He earned the nickname "the dog Shogun" due to these strict regulations.
English clergyman Humphrey Primatt published A Dissertation on the Duty of Mercy and Sin of Cruelty to Brute Animals in 1776. Marc Bekoff stated that Primatt was largely responsible for bringing animal welfare to the attention of the general public. Irish MP Richard Martin brought the Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 through Parliament offering protection from cruelty to cattle, horses, and sheep.
Modern neuroscientists generally accept that consciousness exists in nonhuman animals despite philosophical problems with defining it even in humans. A new study devised a unique way to dissociate conscious from nonconscious perception in animals. Researchers built experiments predicting opposite behavioral outcomes to consciously versus non-consciously perceived stimuli.
Monkeys' behaviors displayed exact opposite signatures just like aware and unaware humans tested in the same study. Animal welfare science uses measures such as longevity, disease, immunosuppression, behavior, physiology, and reproduction to quantify well-being. Ireland leads research into farm animal welfare with recently published reports on the subject.
Professor Ian Duncan wrote that animal welfare is to do with feelings experienced by animals including absence of strong negative feelings called suffering. Professor Marian Dawkins stated that animal welfare involves subjective feelings of animals without mincing words. The American Veterinary Medical Association defines good welfare as being healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, or distress.
Broiler chickens are bred to be very large to produce greatest quantity of meat per animal. Birds bred for fast growth have high incidence of leg deformities because large breast muscles cause distortions of developing legs and pelvis. They cannot support their increased body weight and frequently become lame or suffer from broken legs.
Increased body weight puts strain on hearts and lungs so ascites often develop. In the UK alone up to 20 million broilers each year die from stress of catching and transporting before reaching slaughterhouse. This stress can be measured by high level of heart rate and cortisol levels but also seen in behavior or physical changes.
Routine invasive procedures include tail-biting, cannibalism, feather pecking, beak trimming, castration, and ear notching. A 2023 report by Animal Welfare Institute found that animal welfare claims by companies selling meat and poultry products lack adequate substantiation in roughly 85% of analyzed cases. Chick culling occurs when males are slaughtered immediately after hatching because they are superfluous.
Most captive cetaceans live in concrete tanks which are easy to clean but echo natural sounds back to them. They cannot develop own social groups and related cetaceans typically separated for display and breeding. Military dolphins swim free during operations and training then return to pens otherwise.
Boat engines add substantial noise to natural environment reducing ability to echolocate and communicate. Electric engines are far quieter but not widely used for either research or whale watching even for maintaining position. Vancouver Port offers discounts for ships with quiet propeller and hull designs while other areas have reduced speeds.
Unshielded propellers cause serious injuries to cetaceans who come close to the blade. US Coast Guard has proposed rules on propeller guards to protect human swimmers but has not adopted any rules yet. Ducted propellers provide more efficient drive at speeds up to 10 knots and protect animals beneath and beside them though need grilles to prevent injuries to animals drawn into duct.
European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC came into act on the 1st of January 2012 banning conventional battery cages for laying hens across the Union. UK Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes owners responsible for ensuring welfare needs met including suitable environment, diet, normal behavior patterns, housing conditions, and protection from pain injury suffering disease.
Anyone cruel to animal in UK may be banned from owning animals fined up to £20,000 and sent to prison maximum six months. Georgia passed Animal Protection Act of 1986 providing licensing regulation of pet shops stables kennels and shelters establishing minimum standards first time.
Florida voters passed Amendment 10 in 2002 by margin 55% for and 45% against banning confinement pregnant pigs gestation crates. Arizona voters passed Proposition 204 with 62% support prohibiting confinement calves veal crates breeding sows gestation crates Oregon Governor signed legislation prohibiting pig confinement gestation crates 2007 Colorado Governor signed legislation phasing out both gestation crates veal crates 2008 California passed Proposition 2 known as Prevention Farm Animal Cruelty Act ordering new space requirements starting 2015.
Animal rights advocates Gary L Francione and Tom Regan argue animal welfare position advocating betterment condition without abolishing use inconsistent logic ethically unacceptable. Philosopher Steven Best suggests emphasis welfarism legitimizes any human use animals so long humans not cruel avoid inflicting unnecessary harm.
Abolitionists hold focusing animal welfare fails challenge suffering may actually prolong it making exercise property rights over animals appear less unattractive. Their objective secure moral legal paradigm shift where animals no longer regarded property. PETA's Ingrid Newkirk stated if she could have one thing would be to end suffering saying everyone should able agree animals should not suffer kill steal fur eggs whatever.
New welfarism coined by Gary L Francione in 1996 views best way prevent animal suffering abolish causes but advancing welfare goal pursue short term. They lobby make cages less constrictive reduce numbers animals used laboratories while working phase out fur farms animal experiments.
World Animal Protection founded 1981 protect animals around globe objectives include helping people understand critical importance good animal welfare encouraging nations commit animal-friendly practices building scientific case better treatment animals. World Organisation for Animal Health established purpose projects international public utility relating control animal diseases including those affecting humans promotion animal welfare production food safety.
Animal Welfare Institute American non-profit charitable organization founded Christine Stevens 1951 goal reducing suffering inflicted animals humans oldest animal welfare organizations US. Compassion in World Farming founded over 40 years ago 1967 British farmer horrified development modern intensive factory farming campaigns peacefully end cruel factory farming practices believing biggest cause cruelty planet deserves focused specialized approach work farm animal welfare only.
Royal Society Prevention Cruelty Animals well-known charity England Wales founded 1824 Queen Victoria gave society blessing became RSPCA society used members donations employ growing network inspectors job identify abusers gather evidence report authorities. Canadian Council on Animal Care national organization responsible overseeing care use animals involved Canadian Science.
Common questions
When did Emperor Ashoka issue orders against hunting and animal slaughter?
Emperor Ashoka issued orders against hunting and animal slaughter in the 3rd century BCE. His edicts aligned with ahimsa, the doctrine of non-violence that guided his rule over India.
What laws did Ireland pass regarding animal welfare in 1635?
Ireland passed an act in 1635 prohibiting plowing by the tail or pulling wool off living sheep. This legislation established early state-level protection for animals long before modern concepts existed.
How do broiler chickens suffer from fast growth breeding practices?
Birds bred for fast growth have high incidence of leg deformities because large breast muscles cause distortions of developing legs and pelvis. They cannot support their increased body weight and frequently become lame or suffer from broken legs.
When did the European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC come into effect?
European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC came into act on the 1st of January 2012 banning conventional battery cages for laying hens across the Union.
Who founded the Animal Welfare Institute and when was it established?
Animal Welfare Institute American non-profit charitable organization founded Christine Stevens 1951 goal reducing suffering inflicted animals humans oldest animal welfare organizations US.