English Archives - Page 366 of 666

Dec 22 2014 | karol orzechowski

Policing Farm Animal Welfare in Federated Nations: The Problem of Dual Federalism in Canada and the USA

This paper outlines problems with (and proposes some solutions for) the creation and enforcement of effective laws protecting farm animals in the United States and Canada. Taking a long view that includes an agro-anthropological analysis of how current farm animal protection laws came to be, the paper highlights how, in the both the U.S. and Canada, agriculture is a unique institution. "Achieving substantial shift in farm animal production methods, means a coordinated societal initiative to disseminate and have adopted a new societal norm." The authors argue that some kind of continental regulatory oversight, as well as more direct cooperation with policy-makers and NGOs, are possible solutions, but that any changes will cause friction with the prevailing industrial practices centered around efficiency and profits, not animal care. READ MORE

Dec 22 2014 | Faunalytics

Study of Current and Former Vegetarians and Vegans

This Faunalytics original study examines key factors in people's decisions to either adopt or give up a vegetarian or vegan diet. READ MORE

Dec 19 2014 | karol orzechowski

Review of Proposed Rule Regarding Status of the Wolf Under the Endangered Species Act

This paper by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) is an independent scientific review of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) proposed rule regarding the status of gray wolves in the lower 48 states. In it, a group of experts give their opinions on four key questions: 1) Did the service consider the best available scientific information, including the scientific literature, in developing this proposal? 2) Are the assumptions, analyses, and conclusions reflected in the proposed rule reasonable in light of the best information available? 3) Does the proposed rule draw reasonable and scientifically sound conclusions from Chambers et al., 2012? And 4) Does the proposed rule utilize the best available scientific information and draw reasonable and scientifically sound conclusions concerning the status of wolves? Their conclusions are presented individually, as well as through a full in-person discussion included in the paper. READ MORE

Dec 17 2014 | karol orzechowski

Analyzing the Safewalk Program with SAS: Saving Shelter Dogs One Walk at a Time

This 2013 study from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) details their recent success with "Safewalk," a program designed to train staff on how to behave around shelter dogs to help the dogs survive shelter life and increase their chances of adoption. The paper explores not only why and how Safewalk was implemented, but how initial data from the program seemed to indicate that it was actually increasing euthanasia rates and length of stay at the shelter, which later turned out to be false. The paper pays special attention to the case study of Chopper, a dog who was surrendered twice to the shelter due to behavioral problems, but was eventually homed successfully after Safewalk was implemented. READ MORE

Dec 15 2014 | karol orzechowski

‘‘We Don’t Tell People What To Do’’: An Examination of the Factors Influencing NGOs to Campaign for Reduced Meat Consumption

With the link between climate change and intensive animal farming ever clearer and more compelling, the question of how to address meat consumption has become a matter that environmental NGOs need to concern themselves with. However, with people's dietary choices being a sensitive subject, navigating the topic of meat-eating with NGO members (and the general public) is a complicated matter to say the least. This study of 48 NGOs from across North America, as well as Sweden, found that addressing (and not addressing) meat consumption in relation to climate change is strategically and tactically complicated, both for "environmentally-focused NGOs" and "food-focused" NGOs. The authors urge new efforts from both angles to address the pressing issue. READ MORE

Dec 15 2014 | karol orzechowski

Defining And Measuring Farmers’ Attitudes To Farm Animal Welfare

Study finds that farmers are ultimately the most important component of animal welfare, and that their attitude and behaviour ultimately decide the living conditions of farm animals. READ MORE

Dec 12 2014 | karol orzechowski

Denial Of Death And The Relationship Between Humans And Other Animals

This paper describes a (sub)conscious human desire to remain separate from animals and not confront our own mortality. READ MORE

Dec 11 2014 | karol orzechowski

Longline Fishing (How What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You)

This article provides a general overview of the subject of longline fishing, including a detailed breakdown of how the practice came to prominence, how it is done, the kind of environmental damage it causes, and what might be done to mitigate or stop that damage. The author compiles global statistics to present a thorough picture of how longline fishing affects many different species (from birds to aquatic mammals), and shows possible solutions in an objective and practical manner. READ MORE

Dec 10 2014 | karol orzechowski

Effects of Phenotypic Characteristics on the Length of Stay of Dogs at Two No Kill Animal Shelters

In this review of dog populations at two no-kill shelters, researchers looked specifically at how physical traits of dogs, as well as their ages, might affect the length of time they stay at the shelter. Without accounting for any sort of "personality" traits, they found a strong relationship between the size of the dog and their length of stay (LOS), but found only tenuous links between the dog's coat color and their LOS, as well as the type of breed (including "fighting breeds") and their LOS. Researchers hope that their findings will help shelters tailor their adoption efforts to focus on getting LOS down for all dogs, concentrating first on those that might normally stay in the shelter the longest. READ MORE

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