Abstract
Simple SummaryMany countries have enacted legislation to protect animals. In the 1800's the primary concern was to protect animals from cruelty but more recent legislative changes also seek to ensure that human beings uphold a duty of care towards those animals for which they are responsible. Today animal welfare concerns all aspects of our interaction with other animals. Although, the diversity of views in society can present challenges, the whole community needs to be engaged in the development and implementation of policies and initiatives so as to achieve sustainable improvements in animal welfare.Although there is a long-established tradition of concern for the welfare of animals, it was not until the mid 1800's that governments sought to enact legislation to protect animals from cruelty. In the 1950's, questions concerning animal welfare re-emerged and in the ensuing years have been an on-going focus of government activities. These developments occurred against a backdrop of significant social change but there are important differences in what now underpins and informs these considerations. In the formulation and implementation of public policies, governments look for a course of action that represents and protects the interests of the community; the process may be challenging with competing interests but the final determination seeks a middle ground that best meets the needs and interests of the community as a whole. When policy development concerns our relationship with other animals, the complexity of this relationship presents particular challenges not only to the formulation of policies but also to the evaluation of outcomes. Notably, the depth of feelings and diversity of views in our community reflect the complex social, cultural and personal dimensions of this relationship. The use of animals for scientific purposes remains one of the most contentious animal welfare issues primarily because when animals are used for these purposes, accepted animal welfare benchmarks cannot always be met. Based on the Australian experience, this paper will discuss the influences in and on-going challenges to the development and implementation of public policy when animals are used for these purposes.
Highlights
We have only to look at the scope of topics covered at this conference to be reminded of the depth, diversity, richness and complexity of the relationships between human beings and other animals.Further, the central theme—“Minding Animals”—reminds us of our responsibilities and duties towards other animals and of the challenges which confront us as we seek to understand the ability of animals to think and to feel and the pursuant ethical implications for us in our treatment of those animals
Effective ethical review: Given the pivotal role of the Animal Ethics Committees (AECs), confidence in its processes to deliver outcomes is at the heart of acceptability of the policies we have developed in Australia
In Australia, the reports of the Senate Select Committee in Animal Welfare established the footprint for the subsequent development of public policies in relation to animal welfare including, most recently, the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy [1]
Summary
We have only to look at the scope of topics covered at this conference to be reminded of the depth, diversity, richness and complexity of the relationships between human beings and other animals. In the 19th century, responding to concerns about cruelty towards animals, governments sought to enact legislation to prevent such practices and since that time have increasingly become involved in the development of policies, including legislation, regulations, codes of practice and guidelines relating to various aspects of the ways in which humans interact with other animals Such government intervention reflects both an increase in community interests in our duties and responsibilities towards other animals and identification of the need for government involvement in particular seeking to resolve the claims of competing community interests. This paper will describe how these matters have been addressed in Australia and, based on that experience, discuss the challenges to the development and implementation of public policy when animals are used for scientific purposes
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