Should Animal Welfare be Included in Educational Programs? Attitudes of Secondary and University Students from Eight EU Countries

Pejman, Niloofar; Kallas, Zein; Reig, L.; Velarde, Antonio; Moreno, María Jesús Aranda; Magnani, Daniele Pascale Guidotti; Protopapadaki, Vicky; Ribikauskas, Vytautas; Ribikauskienė, Daiva; Dalmau, Antoni

doi:10.1080/10888705.2021.1969931

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…To overcome them, it is crucial to engage in proactive communication with academic institutions, faculty members, and other stakeholders. Support for integrating animal welfare education into wildlife degree programs can be gained by presenting arguments that are supported by data [ 21 , 52 ], highlighting successful examples from other institutions and programs [ 19 , 53 , 54 ], and emphasising the scientific and ethical necessity and the beneficial effects on research outcomes [ 6 , 10 , 22 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crucial but Neglected: Limited Availability of Animal Welfare Courses in Education of Wildlife Researchers

Zemanova

2023

Animals

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Animal welfare is a subject of increasing scientific and ethical concern in today’s society, crucial for the well-being of animals used in research and the integrity of scientific data. Equipping researchers in the life science disciplines with a science-based knowledge of animal welfare, behaviour, physiology, and health is, therefore, essential. Nevertheless, previous studies evaluating animal welfare education focused on veterinary, laboratory, or farm animal science. Consequently, the aim of this study was, for the very first time, to map the prevalence of animal welfare courses in the university education of ecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation managers in Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. A comprehensive assessment of 1548 universities was conducted, resulting in the identification of 596 relevant programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Analysis of the curricula revealed that only 1% of the programs offered a formal course on animal welfare, while 65% provided courses on animal behaviour, 59% on animal physiology, and 34% on animal health. However, the majority of these courses were listed as electives rather than mandatory components of the programs. These results underscore the need for universities to incorporate more formal and obligatory education in animal welfare in order to better prepare future ecologists, wildlife biologists, and conservation managers for the challenges of working with wildlife.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crucial but Neglected: Limited Availability of Animal Welfare Courses in Education of Wildlife Researchers

Zemanova

2023

Animals

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“…In this sense, it is important that those responsible for formulating policies to improve those measures aimed at the transparency of the use of animals through awareness programs on this matter so that they receive impartial, unbiased information. In the same way, research facilities must always apply, in accordance with the law, measures that guarantee the animal welfare [ 42 , 43 , 44 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal Research in Spain: A Study of Public Perception and Attitudes

Miguel-Batuecas

Fuertes-Recuero

Díaz-Regañón

et al. 2023

Animals

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Since the time of Hippocrates in the 4th century BC, animal research has been extensively used for various purposes up to the present day. However, the use of animals for research has also been controversial for a long time. We report the findings of a public, online questionnaire-based survey designed to assess the opinions of a sample of Spanish society regarding animal research. Demographic data and opinions were obtained from 806 respondents. The results indicated a high level of acceptance of animal research (73.1%). However, certain factors, such as completing the questionnaire immediately after a reading negative media report (OR = 2.41; 95%CI: 1.64–3.54; p < 0.001), being a woman (OR = 1.77; 95%CI: 1.24–2.53; p = 0.002) or having a non-scientific background (OR = 2.47; 95%CI: 1.76–3.47; p < 0.001), were associated with a tendency towards a more negative opinion. The opinions seemed to be influenced by gender, education level and by protest incidents reported in the media. Our results also indicate that a lot of information regarding animal welfare, such as care and handling protocols, along with legislation was unknown to individuals. Further, a growing popularity of companion species and opposition to animal experimentation for non-biomedical purposes were reflected in the responses obtained. The use of animals for research purposes emerged as a sensitive social issue in terms of concerns about animal ethics and welfare.

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Perception of Brazilian Agricultural Sciences Students on Animal Welfare: A Profile-based Approach

Andrighetto Canozzi,

Cardoso,

Foguesatto

et al. 2023

Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science

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Should Animal Welfare be Included in Educational Programs? Attitudes of Secondary and University Students from Eight EU Countries

Cited by 3 publications

References 68 publications

Crucial but Neglected: Limited Availability of Animal Welfare Courses in Education of Wildlife Researchers

Crucial but Neglected: Limited Availability of Animal Welfare Courses in Education of Wildlife Researchers

Animal Research in Spain: A Study of Public Perception and Attitudes

Perception of Brazilian Agricultural Sciences Students on Animal Welfare: A Profile-based Approach

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