Animal Abuse Research Articles

Faunal Exploitation Strategies, Dietary Habits, and Social Status in Tang Dynasty Chang'an: Zooarchaeological Insights From Xiajiazhuang

ABSTRACTZooarchaeology in China has consistently enhanced our understanding of past environments and human–animal interactions. However, this research has predominantly focused on prehistoric contexts. Our knowledge of animal exploitation strategies in historical periods remains largely reliant on written and iconographic sources, lacking direct and quantifiable faunal evidence. This paper examines the animal remains found in the residential district of Xiajiazhuang to better understand faunal exploitation strategies, dietary habits, and meat procurement patterns in Chang'an (Xi'an, China) during the Tang dynasty period (618–907 ce). Zooarchaeological evidence identifies caprines as the primary meat source, supplemented by cattle, dogs, pigs, and poultry. Our findings indicate a targeted meat procurement strategy, with animals selected based on their age to secure high‐quality meat, thereby hinting at the potential high status of Xiajiazhuang's residents. Along with other lines of evidence, our results suggest that interactions within the city and between the capital and its surrounding areas could have played a significant role in shaping faunal resource management strategies in Xiajiazhuang during the Tang dynasty.

Animal Protection in Brazil: Legislative and the Society Evolvement in the Last Century

The aim of this review was to analyze Brazilian animal protection policy throughout history and discuss the importance of some recent events and societal developments in its modernisation. A search for the complete legislation and scientific works was performed on the government’s website and search platforms (Google scholar, Science direct and CAPES). It was observed that the first Brazilian law on animal protection was published in 1924. After this, several amendments were incorporated. The current Brazilian Constitution, published in 1988, was a landmark in the modernisation of animal protection in the country as it allowed the recognition of sentience and thus characterised cruelty and mistreatment of animals as crimes. At the same time, society has evolved, increasing the proximity with animals until the recent development of the concept of the multi-species family positioning animals as family members. Recent reports have shown that animal abuse and cruelty can still occur and the application of the animal protection policy is allowing pursuits and condemnation of offenders. Brazil is a young country but its policy on animal protection and its society greatly evolved in the last century. This progress is still ongoing as the society is taking an active role to push improvements on public policies and surveillance towards animal mistreatments. However, it would be advisable to include the real needs of animals in the reflections in order to avoid making decisions that are erroneously harmful to animals. This work was a collaboration between the post-graduation program of the Veterinary school of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco – Brazil and The National school of veterinary of Alfort - France, from January to August 2024.

Animals as Covictims and More-Than-Property: The Inclusion of Companion Animals in Protection Order Statutes at the State Level in the United States.

This article analyzes statutes in 37 U.S. states and Washington D.C. amended to include companion animals in definitions of domestic violence and to enable their inclusion in protection order (POs). The findings indicate that while the inclusion of animal abuse in definitions of domestic violence tends to frame their maltreatment in anthropocentric terms-as a vehicle for harming people-the language and consequences of their inclusion in some PO statutes position them as more-than-property, that is, more as subjects than objects. The analysis documents a temporal trend toward offering greater protections over time, greater bipartisan support for the amendments, and a shift from animals-as-property toward sociolegal recognition of their social membership and the ways their well-being is interconnected with that of the people who care for them.

Animal Welfare Perspectives Against the Backdrop of Animal Cruelty in Nigeria

Knowledge is crucial for improving animal welfare. People's perceptions, attitudes, and understanding may be a hindrance to adopting animal welfare-improving ideas which is crucial for developing effective animal welfare policies and advocacy in Nigeria. This study evaluates the current knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of animal welfare among Nigerian residents. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire distributed via emails, social media platforms, and by personal contact. The survey collected data from 694 respondents across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria over 6 months (November 2023 and June 2024). Descriptive statistics, reliability testing, and inferential statistical tests were performed using SPSS for windows. The result revealed that majority (60-87.3%) of the respondents had a good knowledge of what constitutes cruelty to animals. Also, 88.8% were aware that animals have right to freedoms that could enhance their welfare, and 96.1% agreed that freedom from hunger and thirst is reasonable for animals. The standard deviations were relatively low, suggesting consistent responses among participants. Respondents (87.3%) also supported the enforcement of animal cruelty laws and the enactment of comprehensive animal welfare laws in Nigeria. The high knowledge scores among Nigerian residents suggest a strong foundational understanding of animal welfare principles. It is recommended that despite the result continual advocacy and policy development are still necessary to shape the public attitudes, and perceptions to animal.

Sweet Sensation: Humanity, Experimental Medicine and the Philadelphia Animal Cruelty Trial of 1914

Abstract In June 1913, Dr Joshua Sweet, Assistant Professor of Surgical Research at the University of Pennsylvania, was charged with ‘unnecessary cruelty to dogs’. Sweet’s trial would take place the following April. My account of that trial, its context and its aftermath, is primarily concerned with the contested experience of ‘humanity’: a nebulous concept that incorporates other-oriented feelings and practices, couched in broader social and moral frameworks. Ultimately, it is an account of the contextual entanglement of humane feelings – emotions and senses – with practices, politics, belief systems, knowledge systems, professional networks, gender and class dynamics and moral/ethical imperatives.

The palpable dichotomy between animal cruelty laws and implementation – Is there a way forward for Indian jurisprudence?

This article critically examines the dichotomy between India's existing animal cruelty laws and their practical implementation. It argues that the primary issue lies not in the lack of animal protection legislation but in the loopholes and inadequacies of the current laws, which often fail to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. The article traces domestic legislation, highlighting its shortcomings in achieving the overarching goal of animal protection. It also explores the role of judicial precedents in shaping the interpretation of these laws. Despite the Supreme Court's recognition of animal rights, socio-cultural and political factors have led to judgments and ineffective jurisprudence contradictions. The article emphasizes the need to reform and restructure animal cruelty laws, addressing the shortcomings in judicial precedents to alleviate animal suffering and protect their legal rights. By adopting an animal-centric perspective, the article aims to give voice to the subaltern realm, referring to relevant legal provisions and judicial precedents, as well as comparative perspectives, throughout the analysis.

Welfare of pet primates for sale in the United States

Welfare of pet primates for sale in the United States Dr. Melissa Seaboch, Professor and Department Chair at Salt Lake Community College, charts the welfare of pet primates for sale in the United States. Despite their unsuitability as pets, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of pet primates in the United States (1), and the U.S. ranks third out of 171 countries in the ease of purchasing a pet primate online. (2) Though the pet primate trade is robust, there are few federal regulations addressing the care of companion animals or pets. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA), often considered the minimum acceptable standard for animal care and use, governs the care of animals in multiple settings, including research labs, zoos, and commercial breeding facilities. PACT (Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture) prevents the most egregious forms of animal cruelty, and the Lacey Act addresses interstate transportation and illegal wildlife trafficking. (3) None of these regulations address the care or welfare of pet primates.

Trends in admission to the Wildlife Screening Center in Espírito Santo State, Brazil, from 2011 to 2021

Background and Aim: The Wild Animal Screening Center in Espírito Santo State (CETAS-ES), Brazil, treats wildlife from trafficking and illegal trade, accidents, captivity, and rescue from out of their habitat. The present study described the trends in wildlife admission to the CETAS-ES over the past 10 years and discussed the impact of animal exploitation. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study used a database provided by the CETAS-ES with data on animals admitted between 2011 and 2021, including admission year, origin, place of captivity, taxonomic category, sex, life stage, and health status. Results: Over 10 years, 23,176 animals were admitted, with an annual average of 2,106 admissions. Seizing was the most common origin (60.39%), followed by rescues/collections (22.60%) and voluntary delivery (11.7%), whereas 5.3% had unidentified origins. Birds were the most frequently admitted animals (80.6%) and were predominant among those seized (97.5%), rescued/collected (46.7%), and voluntarily delivered (73.2%). Mammals represented 45.0% of rescues/collections and reptiles represented 19.0% of voluntary deliveries. Conclusion: The admissions reveal a vulnerable scenario for wildlife in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest of Espírito Santo State, mainly affecting birds. Seizing was a common occurrence over the decade, reinforcing the necessity of actions to prevent wildlife trafficking and illegal trade. Keywords: Atlantic Rainforest, biodiversity, fauna, wildlife trade.

Legal Criticism Of The Conceptualization Of The Legal Good Protected Against The Crime Of Animal Abuse In Peru

Legal Criticism Of The Conceptualization Of The Legal Good Protected Against The Crime Of Animal Abuse In Peru

Ethics in sports industry: when does sports autonomy become an excuse for animal abuse?

Abstract Money pushes sports to extremes. As the rewards for success grow, so does the pressure, with sportspeople pushing themselves ever harder. In equestrian sports, this can mean pushing the horse as well, too often to the point of abuse. This article discusses the beautiful side of equestrianism as well as its darker side, which is a bitter reality for many competition horses. It sets out a comparison of legal standards for equine animal welfare (at the level of international law, EU law and national laws) as well as those coming from sports laws. It also examines dependencies between animal protection rules under EU law and animal protection rules under the laws of individual EU Member States concerning equestrian sports. It aims to answer the questions of whether equestrian sports constitute a general exemption to their being considered animal abuse and on what grounds this exemption might be changed in the future.

Meating of the minds: Who denies animal mind in response to the meat paradox?

Most people abhor animal cruelty but choose to eat meat. To resolve feelings of conflict associated with this so-called “meat paradox”, meat-eaters appear to downplay the capacity of animals to think and feel. However, the strength of animal mind denial seems likely to vary between individuals—according to one’s concern for animal welfare or enjoyment of meat, for instance. Across two pre-registered studies (S1: N = 355, S2: N = 251), we examined personality traits, attitudes, and beliefs that may predict the strength of animal mind denial in relation to the meat paradox. Results suggest that those lower in openness/intellect or emotion regulation ability, or higher in meat-commitment, deny animal mind more strongly when reminded of the link between meat eating and animal suffering. We discuss the degree to which these findings align with dissonance-based explanations for animal mind-denial in response to the meat-paradox.

Некоторые вопросы уголовной ответственности за жестокое обращение с животными (ст. 245 УК РФ)

The article discusses some controversial issues of the design and application of Article 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, determines the content of signs of the composition of cruelty to animals. The points of view of scientists on a number of controversial issues related to the interpretation and application of the norm on criminal liability for cruelty to animals are analyzed. On all these issues, the author's position of the view is stated and justified. The expediency of changing some of the formulations used by the legislator in the disposition of part 1 of Article 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is also justified. The study used foreign legislation regulating liability for animal cruelty.

Animal Abuse Offences Against Unowned Animals: Comparative Analysis Latin America Vs. Common Law

Animal Abuse Offences Against Unowned Animals: Comparative Analysis Latin America Vs. Common Law

Animal Suffering from a Buddhist Perspective: A Reinterpretation of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path

Animal Suffering from a Buddhist Perspective: A Reinterpretation of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path

Becoming Symbolic: Some Remarks on the Judicial Rewriting of the Offence of Animal Abuse in Poland

Becoming Symbolic: Some Remarks on the Judicial Rewriting of the Offence of Animal Abuse in Poland

Impact of NGOs’ undercover videos on citizens’ emotions and pro-social behaviors

Undercover videos have become a popular tool among NGOs to influence public opinion and generate engagement for the NGO’s cause. These videos are seen as a powerful and cost-effective way of bringing about social change, as they provide first-hand evidence and generate a strong emotional response among those who see them. In this paper, we empirically assess the impact of undercover videos on support for the cause. We in addition analyze whether the increased engagement among viewers is driven by the negative emotional reactions produced by the video. To do so, we design an online experiment that enables us to estimate both the total and emotion-mediated treatment effects on engagement by randomly exposing participants to an undercover video (of animal abuse) and randomly introducing a cooling-off period. Using a representative sample of the French population (N=3,310), we find that the video successfully increases actions in favor of animals (i.e., donations to NGOs and petitions), but we fail to prove that this effect is due to the presence of primary emotions induced by the video. Last, we investigate whether activists correctly anticipate their undercover videos’ (emotional) impact via a prediction study involving activists (exploratory analysis).Protocol registrationThis manuscript is a Stage-2 working paper of a Registered Report that receivedIn-Principle-Acceptance from Scientific Reports on November 20th, 2023 [Link to Stage-1]. The Stage-1 that received In-Principal-Acceptance can be found here: https://osf.io/8cg2d.

Juridical And Sociological Review Of Animal Protection Law In Dog Meat Trade Cases In Sukoharjo Central Java Indonesia

In the use of animals by humans, over time there have been many function and there are principles that need to be considered in its use and handling. Animal abuse and animal abuse in Positive law have been regulated, regarding prohibitions against mistreating animals include Article 302 of the Criminal Code, Article 66 paragraph 2 of Law no.18 of 2009 concerning Amendments to Law Number 18 of 2009 concerning Animal Husbandry And Animal Health. Dog slaughterhouse activities where dogs are abused slaughtered and their meat traded for human consumption, in an unnatural way. The dog meat trade is an act that violates animal welfare. On In November 2021, problems regarding dog slaughterhouses were discovered in Dukuh Wirroragen, Kartasura District, Sukoharjo Regency. This research aims to find out the review criminal law regarding criminal acts of dog abuse and meat trafficking dogs at the slaughterhouse in Dukuh Wiroragen, Kartasura District, Sukoharjo Regency. In this research the author using a conceptual and comparative approach. The data source comes from primary data obtained through interviews with parties from the animal welfare activist coalition and the Police Sukoharjo. Secondary data in the form of primary legal materials in the form of the Criminal Code, Law no. 41 Years 2014 concerning Amendments to Law Number 18 of 2009 concerning Animal Husbandry and Animal Health. The results of this research show that: (1.) Criminal acts of abuse dogs at the slaughterhouse in Dukuh Wiroragen, Kartasura District, Sukoharjo Regency fulfills the elements and violates Article 302 paragraphs (1) and (2) of the Criminal Code, Article 66 paragraph 2 letters c, e, f and g Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 41 of 2014 concerning Amendments Law Number 18 of 2009 concerning Animal Husbandry and Animal Health and Article 83 Paragraphs (1) and (2) Government Regulation Number 95 of 2012 concerning Public Health Veterinary and Animal Welfare. (2.) The dog meat trade contributes to and violates criminal threats to the law 18 of 2009 Article 89 paragraph 2 as amended and supplemented by Law number 41 of 2009 , 2014 concerning amendments to Law number 18 of 2009 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) point 1, related entering animals from areas free from infected or suspected infected areas.

A Highly Efficient Fluorescent Turn-Off Nanosensor for Quantitative Detection of Teicoplanin Antibiotic from Humans, Food, and Water Based on the Electron Transfer between Imprinted Quantum Dots and the Five-Membered Cyclic Boronate Esters.

Teicoplanin has been banned in the veterinary field due to the drug resistance of antibiotics. However, teicoplanin residue from the antibiotic abuse of humans and animals poses a threat to people's health. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an efficient way for the highly accurate and reliable detection of teicoplanin from humans, food, and water. In this study, novel imprinted quantum dots of teicoplanin were prepared based on boronate affinity-based precisely controlled surface imprinting. The imprinting factor (IF) for teicoplanin was evaluated and reached a high value of 6.51. The results showed excellent sensitivity and selectivity towards teicoplanin. The relative fluorescence intensity was inversely proportional to the concentration of teicoplanin, in the range of 1.0-17 μM. And its limit of detection (LOD) was obtained as 0.714 μM. The fluorescence quenching process was mainly controlled by a static quenching mechanism via the non-radiative electron-transfer process between QDs and the five-membered cyclic boronate esters. The recoveries for the spiked urine, milk, and water samples ranged from 95.33 to 104.17%, 91.83 to 97.33, and 94.22 to 106.67%, respectively.

Language bias, not knowledge shortfall, underestimates the evidence of megafauna kill sites in South America

The Megafauna Kill Sites (MKS), with irrefutable empirical evidence of human-megafauna interactions over the late Quaternary, have widely been recognized in North America and historically overlooked in South America. Here, we systematically reviewed the MKS from the Americas and showed that the neglected evidence from South American MKS is as robust as or even more robust, in both quantity and quality, than the evidence from North America. However, the South American studies are often limited to low-reach publications (gray literature or local journals) written in Latin languages, which are less cited than English-written publications. Our findings clearly indicate that the neglect of South American MKS is due to its limited scientific impact caused by language bias, and not due to the lack of robust knowledge, inadequate data, or questionable evidence. To reverse this context and put the rich evidence of South American MKS on an international audience, we strongly recommend that South American researchers prioritize publishing their studies in English, the universal language of science since sec. XX. We also suggest making all archaeological evidence readily available in online databases, such as the KillSite database (www.killsitedatabase.com). We believe our recommendations align with the current scope of science, which predominantly operates in English and benefits from the widespread accessibility provided by the internet, and will help South American publications reach international audiences interested in human-megafauna interaction and animal exploitation.

Halal, le nouveau voile ? Représentation du désert alimentaire et vestimentaire façonné par l’universalisme républicain dans deux romans de Faïza Guène

Has halal food become the new headscarf revealing France’s hostility towards Muslims? From political discourse to legislative measures dictated by the so-called republican universalism, from aggressive policies aimed at Muslims’ diet to the reduction of public spaces for veiled Muslim women, the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity seem to shrink to simple mirages. In this article, I analyze how Faïza Guène’s novels Kiffe Kiffe Demain (2004) and La Discrétion (2020) engage with the stigmatization of Muslims due to their food and clothing choices. Based on DeSoucey’s work on gastronationalism and foie-gras I argue that, despite the cruelty of force-feeding, foie gras has its uncontested place on French tables while some politicians attempt to outlaw halal slaughter under the cover of animal cruelty concerns, thus reviving the cliché of the savage “Saracen.” Despite this food and clothing desert targeting a specific part of the French population, the development of social media and the creativity of chefs like Djamel Bouhadda are creating an oasis allowing Muslims to have access to haute cuisine and one day, perhaps, to add their halal cuisine to the French culinary heritage that Cohen describes as white and normative.