Abstract
Simple SummaryThe current emphasis on enforcement and punishment in animal control policy has disproportionately negative impacts on low-income communities in the United States (US), particularly people of color. In this way, animal protection efforts are perpetuating many of the same inequities under examination in the human social justice movement. Reallocating the resources that have historically gone towards enforcement in communities to efforts that provide support in addressing the root causes of animal welfare concerns is needed to improve outcomes for pets in historically underserved communities.Due to inherent and systemic biases, animal control policies in the US are over-enforced in low-income communities and communities of color, resulting in worse health outcomes for the pets in these communities. These outcomes are exemplified by higher confiscation, relinquishment, and euthanasia rates, lower return to owner rates, and extended lengths of stay in animal shelters. The Humane Communities framework operationalizes One Health and One Welfare concepts to comprehensively address issues of inequity at both the individual and structural levels to improve animal control policy and outcomes. Person-centered and culturally competent policies and programs that focus resources on addressing root causes of pet health and welfare issues as opposed to an emphasis on code enforcement can create more positive, scalable, and sustainable improvements in human, other animal, and environmental health and welfare outcomes. This shift from punishment-oriented approaches to support-based models of animal control aligns the animal welfare field with the modern human social justice movement.
Highlights
The role of animal control agencies in the United States (US) has evolved over the last century.Modern animal control and humane law enforcement officers engage in policing of communities to “correct community problems resulting from irresponsible animal ownership” [1]
Animal control agencies should examine if the enforcement of their policies is laden with implicit bias and if their policies reflect a recognition of how the circumstances surrounding an animal welfare issue might be driven by the very same structural inequities and social determinants of health that influence health outcomes for socially disadvantaged human populations [4,9]
Without identifying specific strategies for overcoming each of these barriers, the implicit bias that is present in animal control policy will continue, resulting in disproportionately negative impacts on the pet owners of color and their pets that live in low-income communities
Summary
The role of animal control agencies in the United States (US) has evolved over the last century. Animal control over-policing of low-income communities and people of color is a concern for two primary reasons It means that modern animal control policies are perpetuating many of the same issues under examination in the human social justice movement. Aligning animal services with the human social justice movement would require increased recognition of how pursuing animal welfare by advocating for punitive outcomes, such as incarceration, deportation, confiscation, and criminal registration, perpetuates a system that disproportionately targets low-income communities and people of color [4,5]. The human social justice movement advocates for identifying programs and policies that enhance the resilience of a community by addressing the root causes of human welfare concerns (e.g., addressing discriminatory attitudes, increasing access to healthcare, providing high-quality education) These policies create and perpetuate worse health outcomes for the pets that animal control policies are designed to protect.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
