scholarly journals Familiarity and Interest in Working with Livestock Decreases the Odds of Having Positive Attitudes towards Non-Human Animals and Their Welfare among Veterinary Students in Italy

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Mariti ◽  
Federica Pirrone ◽  
Mariangela Albertini ◽  
Angelo Gazzano ◽  
Silvana Diverio
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
Normal Behaviour ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Species Type ◽  
Potential Impact

We investigated the attitudes of veterinary students towards animals and their welfare in Italy. Regression analyses revealed predictors that are significant in differentiating students’ scoring tendency based on their gender, familiarity, and intention to work with a specific animal species, type of diet, and membership in an animal rights association. Female students, who were mostly familiar with pets and aspired to work with species other than livestock, following an animal-free diet and being a member of an animal rights association, had a significantly greater odds of having a high Animal Attitude Scale score (AAS), i.e., very positive attitude towards animals, versus a less positive attitude. Conversely, the familiarity with livestock and preference for working with livestock significantly increased the odds of a low AAS. Overall, students considered all of the Brambell Report’s Five Freedoms important for animal welfare protection. However, students scored higher for companion animals than for livestock, particularly regarding the freedom to express normal behaviour and the absence of fear and distress. This study suggests that veterinary students place less importance on the psychological aspects of welfare for livestock, and there is a tendency for students who are mostly familiar, or aspire to work, with livestock to have a less positive attitude towards non-human animals and their welfare. These findings should be considered within the veterinary educational curriculum due to their potential impact on animal welfare.

Orientations to Nonhuman Animal Welfare: A View from the Border

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Faver ◽  
Jacqueline D. Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Nonhuman Animal ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Welfare Attitudes ◽  
Hispanic Serving

This study employed an online survey to investigate the nonhuman animal welfare attitudes and behaviors of 104 social work students (85% female) enrolled in a Hispanic-serving university near the U.S.–Mexico border. Approximately three-fourths of the respondents were moderately or very concerned about animal welfare issues. Level of concern about animal welfare issues was significantly related to four pro-animal welfare behaviors: making one’s yard friendly to small animals, encouraging others to adopt rather than purchase companion animals, purchasing products labeled “not tested on animals,” and avoiding meat and dairy products. Female respondents had significantly higher scores on the Animal Attitude Scale, indicating more positive attitudes toward animals, and women and graduate students were significantly more likely to purchase products labeled “not tested on animals.” The findings of the study suggest that social workers are potential allies for animal welfare advocates.

scholarly journals Attitudes Toward Animal Rights in Palestine: A Quantitative Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-150
Author(s):  
Erni Gustafsson ◽  
Nabil Alawi ◽  
Per Normann Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
University Students ◽  
Quantitative Study ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Present Situation ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Animal Protection ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Nonhuman Animals

Abstract This study investigates and compares attitudes of 205 Palestinian and Norwegian university students toward companion animals (pets) using the Pet Attitude Scale. In order to provide some background for the Palestinian attitudes toward nonhuman animals, we discuss canonical Islamic texts on their treatment, as well as the present situation for animal protection in the Middle East. The findings from the survey suggest differences between Palestinian and Norwegian students; however, both groups showed predominately positive attitudes.

Wildlife as Property

2020 ◽  
pp. 19-36
Author(s):  
Angus Nurse ◽  
Tanya Wyatt
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Entertainment Industry ◽  
Short Discussion ◽  
Criminological Perspective ◽  
Psychological Harm ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Animal Welfare Legislation

This chapter examines the notion of wildlife as property or ‘things’ and critically analyses the extent to which anthropocentric notions of wildlife as a resource for human exploitation determines harm caused to non-human animals. This chapter examines how anthropocentric notions of morality and human-centred values underpin the exploitation of non-human animals and the sense in which they are owned. Employing a green criminological perspective, the chapter examines the use and abuse of wildlife within the animal ‘entertainment’ industry. The chapter examines the use of wildlife within aquariums, zoos, and circuses and examines both the legality of this use and the non-human animal harm contained within such uses. Evidence exists, for example, of psychological harm caused to wildlife in zoos that would likely be unlawful if experienced by companion animals. Yet, zoos and safari parks are ostensibly legal operations, thus animal welfare legislation is often the only mechanism through which action can be taken in respect of what would otherwise be deemed unlawful captivity (see also Chapter 7 on animal rights). We end the chapter by touching on how wildlife come to be property – that is a short discussion of wildlife trade, including the online market.

scholarly journals Opinions towards Companion Animals and Their Welfare: A Survey of Croatian Veterinary Students

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomislav Mikuš ◽  
Mario Ostović ◽  
Ivana Sabolek ◽  
Kristina Matković ◽  
Željko Pavičić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Veterinary Medicine ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
First Year ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Study Programme ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Before And After

This survey was the first one investigating opinions of veterinary students in Croatia towards companion animals and their welfare, with special reference to dogs and cats as the most popular companion animals in the European Union. The study included students of all six years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate veterinary medicine study programme in Croatia. First-year students were surveyed twice, before and after having attended the course on animal welfare. Student opinions were assessed on the basis of their mean responses to five-point Likert scale questions and frequency of responses to Yes/No/I do not know questions and ratio scale questions. Study results revealed students to have strongly positive opinions towards companion animals and their welfare. The majority of student statements did not differ significantly between the first and sixth study years or before and after having attended the animal welfare course in the first study year, mostly yielding a straight, non-fluctuating line. Students were not sure whether welfare of companion dogs and cats was compromised. Study results pointed to reliable and reasonable opinions of veterinary medicine students in Croatia towards companion animals and their welfare, as well as to the welfare issues these species may be facing nowadays.

Knowledge and opinions of veterinary students in Italy toward animal welfare science and law

2017 ◽  
Vol 180 (9) ◽  
pp. 225-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Magnani ◽  
N. Ferri ◽  
A. Dalmau ◽  
S. Messori
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Educational Strategies ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
Professional Interest ◽  
Animal Welfare Science ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
University Training ◽  
High Degree

Animal welfare (AW) is a growing concern worldwide and veterinary students are expected to demonstrate a high degree of professional interest in the welfare of animals. However, previous studies have highlighted gaps in the teaching of AW teaching in different countries, possibly impairing veterinary competency in the area. This survey aimed to assess the opinions of Italian veterinary students towards AW, as well as their knowledge on the issue. Questions were divided into different sections, investigating the definition of, and information on, AW, knowledge about AW legislation, and the level of tolerance towards AW in regard to the use of animals for different purposes. Results showed that behaviour was the most frequently used word to define AW. Italian students considered their own level of knowledge on AW as good, relying on their university training, websites and television. They requested more AW legislation, but when questioned on specifics of the current legislation, there was a general lack of knowledge. Although poultry, pigs and rabbits were considered the species experiencing the worst management conditions, the species that raised the most AW concerns were companion animals and cattle. Results from this investigation may allow the development of tailored actions aimed at appropriately implementing educational strategies, at national and international levels, to improve the role of future veterinarians as leaders in AW.

scholarly journals 321 Socio-demographic factors associated with attitudes towards animals among first-year veterinary students

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 5-6
Author(s):  
Jesse Robbins ◽  
Rebecca Parsons ◽  
Anna Johnson ◽  
Matthew Jorgensen ◽  
Jared Danielson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
Animal Mind ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors

Abstract Veterinarians are seen as experts in matters relating to animal welfare and ethics. However, relatively little is known about veterinary students’ attitudes and beliefs towards animals. To begin to address this gap, we surveyed the freshman class of veterinary students at a major U.S. veterinary college (n = 125) to examine their views on the ethics of various forms of animal use, their beliefs about the extent to which different species are capable of experiencing emotions (AKA ‘belief in animal mind’) and their beliefs about the degree to which humans and non-human animals are similar. The 20-item attitudes towards animal scale showed high internal consistency (a = 0.91, CI95 [95% Confidence Interval] 0.89, 0.93). Preliminary multiple regression analyses indicated female (vs male) students held more positive attitudes toward animals (b = 0.35, P = .005). Growing up in a household where animals were raised for food was associated with less positive attitudes (b = -0.30, P = .006). More liberal political ideology was associated with more positive attitudes towards animals (b = 0.17, P = < .0001). Female students also believed animals were capable of experiencing a greater diversity of emotions (b = 126.96, P = 0001). Neither socioeconomic status (P = 0.65) nor having a pet as a child (P = 0.12) were associated with attitudes towards animals or belief in animal mind. However, childhood pet ownership was associated with greater perceived similarity between human and non-human animals (b = 1.38, P = 0.01). Subsequent analyses will assess whether taking a required, introductory course in animal welfare has any effect on these measures. Eventually these data could provide baseline information for longitudinal analyses exploring how student attitudes and beliefs about animals are affected as they progress through the veterinary curriculum.

Animal Welfare and Animal Rights

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 575-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Dolby ◽  
Annette Litster
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
Professional Socialization ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Veterinary Education ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
The Public ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Ethical Complexity ◽  
Veterinary Curriculum

AbstractVeterinarians routinely position themselves as the professionals who are most knowledgeable about non-human animals, and the public turns to them for guidance in matters of animal health and welfare. However, as research indicates, there is a considerable gap between what the public thinks veterinarians know and the actual veterinary curriculum. This study investigates the perspectives of veterinary students towards issues of animal welfare and animal rights, based on the results of a 2012 survey. Results indicate that veterinary students have limited and narrow understandings of both concepts, and that their knowledge is shaped by their professional socialization in veterinary education. Despite the enormous ethical complexity and diversity of philosophical perspectives that are inherent to both animal welfare and animal rights positions, veterinary students typically are not adequately prepared for a career that is located at the very center of these debates.

scholarly journals Attitudes toward Animals and Their Welfare among Italian Veterinary Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Pirrone ◽  
Chiara Mariti ◽  
Angelo Gazzano ◽  
Mariangela Albertini ◽  
Claudio Sighieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Nonparametric Tests ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
The Public ◽  
Veterinary Profession ◽  
A Value ◽  
Welfare Attitudes

As members of the public and the veterinary profession are increasingly concerned about animal welfare, there has been an increased scholarly interest in the attitudes of veterinarians and students toward animals, as these may impact human behavior, which ultimately impacts animal welfare. Here we investigated Italian veterinary students’ demographic data and perceptions about nonhuman animal welfare issues that might be predictive of their attitudes. A survey eliciting information about demographics, knowledge, experience, and perceptions regarding different categories of animals, and including the Animal Attitude Scale (AAS), was administered to undergraduate veterinary medicine students in three Italian universities. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests, and a value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. In total, 876 students completed the questionnaire, with females (75.1%) making up a majority of students in all years of the course. Although veterinary students showed pro-animal welfare attitudes (mean score = 64.20 ± 0.24 out of 100), the findings suggested that year of study, gender, and geographical location had a significant impact (p < 0.05). In this study, we found a set of factors that, either individually or combined, help predict a student’s attitude toward animal welfare issues, which will be useful in improving the curriculum strategy in veterinary education in Italy.

Companion Animals and Religion: A Survey of Attitudes among Omani Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Erni Gustafsson ◽  
Nabil Alawi ◽  
Per Normann Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Companion Animals ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Use Of Self ◽  
Religious Observance ◽  
Sultan Qaboos University ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
High Degree

Abstract Prompted by the scarcity of studies on the attitudes of people towards pet (companion) animals in most Arab countries and inspired by their previous research on the attitudes towards animals in Palestine and Norway, the researchers conducted this study to measure the attitudes of university students in Oman with reference to religious observance. A total of 217 students at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman responded to the Pet Attitude Scale (PAS) combined with questions regarding religious observance. The findings revealed somewhat less positive attitudes toward companion animals among the Omani students than the Palestinian students. Despite the general high degree of religious observance among Omani students, the study showed no significant correlation between religiosity and attitudes towards animals among Omani students. Some difficulties connected with the use of self-report questionnaires and the possibilities to investigate attitudes versus actual behavior are also discussed.

Attitudes towards animals and belief in animal mind among first-year veterinary students before and after an introductory animal welfare course

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-418
Author(s):  
JA Robbins ◽  
JA Danielson ◽  
AK Johnson ◽  
RL Parsons ◽  
MW Jorgensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
First Year ◽  
Veterinary Students ◽  
Sociodemographic Variables ◽  
Animal Mind ◽  
Food Animal ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Students Attitudes

Veterinarians are increasingly looked to for guidance on matters relating to animal welfare, yet little is known about US veterinary students' attitudes and beliefs about animals. In 2019, we surveyed all first-year veterinary students at a major US veterinary college (n = 123) before and after taking a required one-credit introductory animal welfare course. Attitudes were measured using the Pests, Pets and Profit (PPP) scale and belief in animal mind (BAM) was measured using an ad hoc measure adapted from previous work. Pre- and post-course comparisons indicated the introductory animal welfare course had no immediate effect on veterinary students' attitudes or BAM. Veterinary students' attitudes were most positive for animals considered pets, followed by pests and those used for profit. Students believed most species possess a wide variety of mental capacities, including many secondary emotions often considered uniquely human (eg guilt, embarrassment, jealousy). Sociodemographic variables consistently associated with more positive attitudes towards animals were: female gender, vegetarianism and liberal political ideology. Preferring a career involving large or food animal practice was consistently associated with less positive attitudes towards animals. Belief in animal mind explained 3% of the variation in attitude scores, whereas sociodemographic variables explained 49% of variation in attitude scores. Female gender, vegetarianism and preferring small (vs large or food animal practice) were all associated with greater BAM scores. Understanding veterinary student attitudes towards animals and beliefs about the mental capacities of animals is important when evaluating a veterinarian's ability to adhere to their oath.

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