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Living Conditions

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Study on Activity Pattern and Incidence of Stereotypic Behavior in Captive Tigers
This study from India looks at the housing of captive tigers at Nandankanan Zoological Park. It sought to evaluate the tigers' welfare conditions by recording measurements of their stereotypical behaviors, such as pacing and repetitive circling. The researchers looked at how 19 captive tigers spent their time living in the zoo, specifically seeing when circling and pacing was most pronounced, and evaluating their findings. The study shows that, even in habitats which are considered "enriched" or made to seem more naturalistic, tigers still exhibit sterotypies that indicate they are living in poor welfare conditions. READ MORE

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Proper Names and the Social Construction of Biography: The Negative Case of Laboratory Animals
In this piece, Mary T. Phillips explores the importance of providing names and a narrative for animals used in research, as a way of forming ethical relationships. Because lab animals are so often only identified by a number, or another identifier which are not "names" per se, they demonstrate a "negative case" enabling lab workers to distance themselves from the animals' situation. Phillips deconstructs the category of "laboratory animal," and provides some comparisons to our treatment of companion animals that could be useful for research animal advocates. READ MORE

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Modelling Farm Animal Welfare
In this study, researchers Lisa Collins and Chérie Part evaluate the usefulness of various modeling approaches to provide for better evaluations and assessment of farm animal welfare. The paper takes into account different forms of data that numerous models collect, as well as the ways they might be able to shape or influence policy. Though the authors note that models must be "parameterised" with "real world observations," they hope that this effort to create a comprehensive whole system approach will inspire further research in this direction. READ MORE

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The Welfare of Australian Livestock Transported by Sea
In an extensive editorial / literature review in The Veterinary Journal, authors Susan Foster and Karen Overall comprehensively outline current challenges of "animal welfare" in the transport of Australian livestock. Through review and analysis of public policy, reported statistics, and veterinary reports, Foster and Overall paint a rather grim picture of what it means to be an Australian sheep or cow, transported live for weeks at a time to be slaughtered upon arrival in South-East Asia, China, and the Middle East. Though the authors stop short of saying the practice should be ended, they offer strong evidence that current "welfare" measures are woefully inadequate. READ MORE

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A Comparison of Body Size, Coat Condition and Endoparasite Diversity of Wild Barbary Macaques Exposed to Tourism
As different communities around the world strive to find ways to preserve and protect threatened species, some are turning to tourism as a means of bringing in revenue to be used towards conservation efforts. However, tourism still has an impact on the environment and animals. This study from Morocco looks at how exposure to tourists is affecting the body size, coat color, and the amount of parasites found in local Barbary macaques, evaluating each group based on different levels of tourist exposure. READ MORE

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Use of Animals in Research and Reporting of Animal Experiments — The Need for Improvement
This editorial in the journal Vascular Pharmacology examines EU-wide and UK-specific guidelines relating to animal welfare in laboratories. It presents the key reasons why the journal requires authors to comply with the European Union Directive on animal research, and describes the penalties that face researchers who don't. The paper notes, however, that it is very difficult for the editorial board of the journal to know if guidelines are being fully adhered to, and that they are actively engaged in a process to improve how they assess the ethics of the papers they receive. READ MORE
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