Animal-related Issues Research Articles

‘She couldn’t leave them … the perpetrator had threatened to burn them alive’: domestic abuse helpline calls relating to companion animals during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Companion animals can both protect against, and increase risk for, coercive control and abuse, yet have not been considered in existing UK COVID-19 reports of domestic abuse (DA). This study aimed to explore the nature and frequency of animal-related calls received by UK domestic abuse helpline (DAH) staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, examine any lockdown-related changes, identify potential commonalities across helpline organisations, and explore perspectives about ongoing animal-related issues in the context of DA. Semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted with 11 DAH staff workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. The analysis revealed four overarching themes. Theme (1) lockdown-related changes in the frequency and nature of animal-related calls received. Theme (2) animals as tools for abuse during lockdown, with subthemes (a) manipulating the family-animal bond, and (b) fears over animal safety. Theme (3) animals as barriers to refuge during lockdown, with subthemes, (a) lack of animal-friendly accommodation, (b) lack of social support systems, and (c) animals as coping mechanisms. Theme (4) helpline staffs’ awareness of and links to animal-friendly accommodation and fostering services. The findings can inform decision making regarding appropriate long-term support needs for multi-species families with complex needs, both during and post-pandemic.

Elite networks for environmental philanthropy: shaping environmental agendas in the twenty-first century

ABSTRACT Examining all donations of one-million dollars or more to environmental and animal-related causes from 2000–10 in the U.S., this paper employs network methodologies to identify structural patterns in elite philanthropy. Employing k-plex algorithms, analysis demonstrates robust, overlapping donor-recipient ties forming meaningful subcomponents within the larger network. In addition to donor-recipient subgroups that partition along major environmental and animal-related issues, we find politically polarized subcomponents among organizations engaged in energy and climate change. Here it is argued that these observed substructures in the network reflect an intra-elite fracture that mirrors ideological differences of donors and a larger partisan polarization on these issues in the U.S. These findings substantiate a critical theory of foundations and elite philanthropy that accounts for their role in establishing, maintaining, and at times contesting forms of political hegemony favorable to their factional interests.

Whale Watching Tours as a Cultural Object in Fiction – Jojo Moyes’ Silver Bay

This paper starts from Jojo Moyes’ novel Silver Bay, looking at the way in which it presents tourism related to sea life watching and at aspects of people’s existence in a territory that has this type of potential. One of the aims is to raise awareness in what regards the specificity of such beach areas, in terms of not only opportunities, but also threats to sea ecosystems posed by excessive modernization driven by economic interests. Another aim is to interpret phenomena and attitudes presented in the story from a theoretical background, to make visible what mindsets the actions and behaviors in the novel manifest, from those discussed in intercultural, identity and cultural studies, which represent the academic theoretical approach in this research. Examples of these would be uncertainty (in)tolerance, masculine versus feminine cultures, dominant versus harmonizing (outer-directed) attitudes towards the environment. Moreover, certain potential iconoclastic interpretations, such as mystical exaggeration when it comes to interpreting whale communication may be elucidated. The analysis starts with the outline of the story and focal points, then pinpoints the significant role of sea life tourism in the novel. Afterwards, it goes on to set the explanatory background by looking at the polarity old-new and further superposed oppositions, to subsequently get to the description of whale watching, whale behavior and animal-related issues, and finally look into the metaphor of seeing the human being as a whale. The conclusions sum up the main findings: the fiction under the lens here is informative and raises awareness related to the abovementioned aspects (cultural identity and profiles, intercultural contrastive interpretations, typical forms of tourism, ecosystem preservation, irresponsible or illegal actions). They point out as well the relevance and placement of the topic in modern approaches on tourism, environmental concerns, sustainability and wildlife preservation in general.

Importance of Welfare and Ethics Competence Regarding Animals Kept for Scientific Purposes to Veterinary Students in Australia and New Zealand

Veterinarians are in a strong position of social influence on animal-related issues. Hence, veterinary schools have an opportunity to raise animal health and welfare standards by improving veterinary students’ animal welfare and ethics (AWE) education, including that related to animals used for scientific purposes. A survey of 818 students in the early, mid, and senior stages of their courses at all eight veterinary schools across Australia and New Zealand was undertaken on their first day of practice (or Day One Competences) to explore how veterinary students viewed the importance of their competence in the management of welfare and ethical decision-making relating to animals kept for scientific purposes. From highest to lowest, the rankings they assigned were: Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) Procedures or Requirements; 3Rs (Replacement, Refinement and Reduction); Humane Endpoints; Euthanasia; “What Is a Research Animal?”; and Conscientious Objections. Female students rated Conscientious Objections, Humane Endpoints, and Euthanasia significantly higher than male students did across the three stages of study. The score patterns for these three variates showed a trend for the male students to be more likely to score these topics as extremely important as they advanced through the course, but female students’ scores tended to decline slightly or stay relatively stable. No gender differences emerged for the three variates: 3Rs (Replacement, Refinement and Reduction); AEC Procedures or Requirements; and “What Is a Research Animal?”. This study demonstrates that understandings of the regulatory and normative frameworks are considered most important in animal welfare and ethics competence in veterinary students. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate what importance veterinary students place on their competence regarding animals kept for scientific purposes.

Tropical Storm and Hurricane Recovery and Preparedness Strategies

The goal of this article is to present lessons learned from the devastating effects of two specific natural disasters in Texas: Tropical Storm Allison, which flooded Houston in June 2001, and Hurricane Ike, which caused severe damage in Galveston in September 2008. When a disaster is predictable, good predisaster planning can help to save animals lives. However, as disasters are usually not predictable and tend not to follow a script, that plan needs to be easily adaptable and flexible. It should address all aspects of the program and include an evacuation strategy for the animals, data backup, and identification of emergency equipment such as generators and communication systems. Media communication must also be considered as the general public may become emotional about animal-related issues; adverse attention and public scrutiny can be expected if animals die. The psychological impact of the disaster on the lives of those it directly affects may require attention and accommodation in the postdisaster recovery period. Following an overview of each disaster we describe plans for recovery, impacts on research, business continuity programs, and planning and preparation strategies developed against future natural disasters. Long-term planning includes building design as an important factor in protecting both the animals and the research equipment. Lessons learned include successful responses, evaluation for improvements, and preparedness plans and procedures to guard against future disaster-related destruction or loss of facilities, research programs, and animal lives.

Testing a Novel Child Farm Safety Intervention for Anabaptist Audiences

ABSTRACT Farming within the Anabaptist (within this article defined as various religious groups that do not believe in infant baptism; Amish, Hutterites, Mennonites, and Brethren are included within the definition and usually practice selective use of technology) population creates a unique situation with regards to teaching farm safety and health to children. Children working at an age younger than typical farm families, using older equipment and with increased exposure to livestock, affect injuries among Anabaptist children and youth. Addressing social differences and using low-tech methods for demonstrations help when planning resources and programs. An existing Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK) magnetic farm scene, hazard hunt program was adapted for Anabaptist youth to include more images related to the Anabaptist lifestyle. The adapted educational display was piloted in 5 locations (Iowa, Pennsylvania, Ohio (2), and Ontario). Fifty-four boys and 54 girls participated in the pilot programs. Youth survey results indicated that animal-related issues were primary in Anabaptist youths' learning from the lessons. Behaviors most likely mentioned by youth as unsafe actions involved jumping off moving vehicles, mowing with bare feet, and approaching animals unsafely. Youth were most likely to change behavior when working with animals. Instructors indicated that the magnetic display medium was well received by the Anabaptist audience. Pilot testing led to adaptations to content and pictorial images.

History and Animal Studies

Nonhuman animals other than human can hardly be characterized as novel historical subjects. Their remains have provided valuable evidence for historians of cultures that left little or no written trace. They traditionally have attracted the attention of economic historians, especially those who study times and places heavily dependent on agriculture. In more recent times, important animal-related institutions, from humane societies to zoos, have had their chroniclers. People distinguished in their association with animals, from breeders to hunters to scientists, have had their biographers as, indeed, have some animals distinguished in their own right, such as Jumbo, Greyfriars Bobby, or Seabiscuit. SpeciŽc animal-related issues or practices have received focused attention, and historians working in specialized areas continue to make use of such excellent studies as Richard D. French’s Antivivisection and medical science in Victorian society (1975). Even some much earlier work continues to be useful. Even some much earlier work continues to be useful. For example, E. P. Evans’ survey of The criminal prosecution and capital punishment of animals, which Žrst appeared in 1906, has been republished twice in the last twenty years; and Gustave