Welfare issues.

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motman440

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OK....

Hi everyon, Im doing a Bachelor of Animal Science and this semester one of the courses im Studying is ANIMAL BEAVIOUR & WELFARE.

After a rather heated debate with a close friend (also studying the same course) about welfare, neither one of us was willing to give up our definition of what welfare is and what constraints should be imposed to ensure that welfare is maintained.

SO....

I have several questions for you all. Hopefully so of you will take something out of this discussion. Please give it a bit of thought before getting all excited and punching the first thing that comes into your head.

QUESTIONS....

1. What is animal welfare in your mind and what behaviours and emotions should be taken into account i.e. stess and happiness.

2. Is and/or Should there be a difference between welfare in the Agricultural sector (Beef, wool etc.) and the Pet sector (Cat, Dog, and Reptiles etc.)

3. After thinking about the last two questions. Are you keeping your reptiles withing the welfare parameters you have just defined.

4. What do you think reptiles need in there environment to keep maintain welfare. Think about stimuli as well as object in there habitat.

FINALLY....

Once again. Please put some thought into your answers. Maybe your answer could convince someone that their standards are sub-par or reaffirm anothers.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.... THOM.

P.s I will put my thoughts up a bit later. Im not doing this to get heckled about what my thoughts are. So good vibes only people.
 
Animal welfare and wether it is relevant comes down to one thing.
Do animals have feelings?
If you believe what science believes, which is a yes, that animals do have feelings, then you will understand that other animals (like humans)which have feelings
also have interests.
For a snake its interests are to stay warm, to feel safe, to eat good food, to not experience pain, to mate etc...
As to which interests are more important, use Maslows hierachy of needs. I feel this could be used in a modified form adapted depending on the animals
interests.
However, as I am human and as I dont talk snake, will I ever REALLY know a snakes interests in full? I believe no. Therefore, I will never be able to fully
fullfill a snakes interests in captivity. Does this mean I can still give good 'welfare'? The only reasonable answer is no, as I do not know a snakes interests in full,
therefore I cannot fullfill a snakes interests, which in turn means I will give non-fulfilled 'welfare'.
Now how do you differentiate the importance of these interests from a dog or a cats interests, compared to a cow or sheeps interests?
Considering that each of these animals have there own particular feelings and in turn interests, that would mean there is a 'difference' between each species.
However, is one species interests more important than another species?
If yes, than that is what you would call specieism; if someone states that one species interests are more important than anothers.
If all animals have feelings and all animals have interests, than to say one species is more important than another is no different to believing in racism, or sexism.
So do you believe that a human is more important than a rat?
If yes, speciest...read Peter Singer 'The ethics of what we eat'
If not, then youve read Peter Singer :) go make a cuppa tea.
 
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welfare is adhering to the 5 freedoms.
Freedom from hunger thirst and malnutrition
freedom from discomfort
freedom from pain injury and disease
freedom to express normal behaviour
freedom from fear and distress.

remember these they will be in your exam
 
welfare is adhering to the 5 freedoms.
Freedom from hunger thirst and malnutrition
freedom from discomfort
freedom from pain injury and disease
freedom to express normal behaviour
freedom from fear and distress.

I agree with these totally and they echo the standards of the RSPCA.
 
welfare is adhering to the 5 freedoms.
Freedom from hunger thirst and malnutrition
freedom from discomfort
freedom from pain injury and disease
freedom to express normal behaviour
freedom from fear and distress.

well said, i couldnt agree more,..!! :p
 
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