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Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Welfare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 31512

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kristine Hill

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Guest Editor

Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology Department, University of Exeter, St. Luke’s Campus, Exeter EX12LU, UK
Interests: anthrozoology; non-human animals; cat–human relations; animal behavior; cultural anthropology; animals in tourism; companion animals; domestication

Dr. Michelle Szydlowski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology Department, University of Exeter, St. Luke’s Campus, Exeter EX12LU, UK
Interests: anthrozoology; pachyderm conservation; welfare; captive elephants; SE Asia; one health/one welfare; animals in tourism

Jes Hooper

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant

Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology Department, University of Exeter, St. Luke’s Campus, Exeter EX12LU, UK
Interests: anthrozoology; ethnozoology; animal behavior; zoos; animals in tourism; exotic pet trade; civets; Kopi Luwak

Sarah Oxley Heaney

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant

Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology Department, University of Exeter, St. Luke’s Campus, Exeter EX12LU, UK
Interests: anthrozoology; cat–human relations; shark–human relations; conservation; conservation ethics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Animal welfare is presented as the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of other-than-human animals. Humans have a responsibility to ensure the welfare needs of domesticated and/or otherwise captive animals are met. Some argue that the welfare needs of wild-living animals should also be considered. However, beliefs about what the needs of a species or an individual animal entail and what constitutes good practice can vary greatly. An understanding of different cultural perspectives is especially pertinent for researchers and animal advocates concerned with the welfare of animals situated in touristic, foreign (relative to the researcher), or culturally diverse contexts. Cultural sensitivity is argued as being paramount to building relationships and addressing concerns related to animal welfare. Furthermore, culture is being increasingly recognized as existing in various forms across species.

For this Special Issue we welcome manuscripts that address animal welfare from a cross-cultural perspective, including more-than-human cultures. We are particularly interested in submissions that offer theoretical contributions towards more ethical and symbiotic relations between humans and more-than-human animals, and we also encourage submissions addressing the decolonization of animal welfare in academia and/or practice.

Dr. Kristine Hill
Dr. Michelle Szydlowski
Guest Editors
Jes Hooper
Sarah Oxley Heaney
Guest Editor Assistants

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

animal welfare
cross-cultural perspectives
more-than-human cultures
symbiotic ethics
decolonization

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 689 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Survey of Public Opinion on Community Cats’ General Health and Relationship Quality with Residents in Urban China

by Xuan Gu, Zilin Zhang, Guo Peng, Anru Ni, Bo Wang, Xiufan Xiong, Yujie Liu and Li Wang

Animals 2024, 14(3), 525; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030525 - 5 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1495

Abstract

The management and coexistence of community cats in urban areas is a growing concern amid global urbanization. Through a survey-based investigation, we examine the residents’ perceptions of the general health of community cats and human-cat relationships in urban China. The data from 5382 participants revealed that approximately 70% of participants perceived community cats as being in good health, and 60% reported harmonious or non-conflict coexistence between residents and these cats. Around 45% of the participants rescued or helped community cats, 38% expressed their intention to adopt, and 18% complained about the issues of community cats to management staff. Linear, logistic, and multilevel-logistic regressions were employed to examine the associations between the types of cities and communities or the participants’ socio-demographics and the perceived well-being of community cats or human-cat relationships. The results show that the cats in fourth-tier cities (e.g., county-level cities) had poorer living conditions than in first-tier cities (e.g., Beijing), while the cats in urban village communities (e.g., villages in the city) were less likely to exhibit good health than in ordinary commercial housing communities. The results also show that socio-demographic variables, such as educational attainment, marital status, and income level, predicted participants’ relationships with community cats. This study is the first of its kind. It provides valuable insights for stakeholders to develop effective policies and interventions on cat management, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies in diverse urban settings and populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

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14 pages, 283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond the Unitary State: Multi-Level Governance, Politics, and Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Animal Welfare

by Paul Chaney, Ian Rees Jones and Nivedita Narayan

Animals 2024, 14(1), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010079 - 25 Dec 2023

Viewed by 962

Abstract

It is argued that extant cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks or gives insufficient attention to new governance theory, civil society, politics, and the realities of devolved or (quasi-)federal, multi-level governance in the modern state. This paper synthesizes relevant social theory and draws on new empirical findings of civil society accounts of campaigning on animal welfare policies and law in the United Kingdom. It is presented as a corrective to arguably reductive, earlier unitary state-based analyses. Our core, evidence-based argument is that cognizance of civil society activism and the contrasting institutional governance structures and political cultures of constituent nations in unitary states—such as the UK—are providing opportunities for the territorialization of legally grounded animal welfare regimes, and culturally distinctive practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

13 pages, 240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions of Cross-Cultural Challenges and Successful Approaches in Facilitating the Improvement of Equine Welfare

by Suzanne Rogers, Natasha Y. P. Lee, Jo White and Catherine Bell

Animals 2023, 13(11), 1724; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111724 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2831

Abstract

Projects that aim to improve the welfare of equids worldwide usually involve people from different countries and cultures working together. Given that professionals involved with multi-stakeholder projects often work cross-culturally, this study examined their experiences regarding the challenges involved in, and their reflections on, how to work in a culturally sensitive way. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants working in a total of 29 countries and analysed using thematic analysis. Key response themes emerged from the responses to questions covering the areas of perceptions of animal welfare, challenges working cross-culturally and embracing cultural sensitivity. The overriding theme regarding perceptions of animal welfare was that of barriers to animal welfare, under which emerged the subthemes of limited financial and material resources, limited understanding of the tenets of animal welfare, and attachment to traditional medicines and practices. Exploring the key challenges resulted in two themes: challenges regarding the local context and etiquette, and those regarding working with different stakeholders. Considering cultural sensitivity, again, two themes emerged: the importance of trust and respect, and of working with local partners. Previous works have highlighted the importance of shared linguistic knowledge, interpersonal skills and cultural knowledge, and these elements also emerged in this research. As well as providing insights into the challenges of working cross-culturally, the findings of this study have enabled the development of suggestions for how this work could be taken forward in a practical way to be of use to professionals in this sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

15 pages, 278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recognizing Zooeyia to Promote Companion Animal Welfare in Urban Bangladesh

by Abu-Hena Mostofa Kamal, Colleen Anne Dell and Timothy Kang

Animals 2023, 13(9), 1523; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091523 - 1 May 2023

Viewed by 2877

Abstract

The One Health concept of zooeyia refers to the benefits of companion animals in human health and is gaining global research attention. This exploratory study aimed to understand contemporary experiences and perceptions of the social benefits and challenges of living with a companion animal in urban Bangladesh. Thirty-five qualitative interviews were conducted with companion animal owners (20), animal sellers (10), and livestock service department officers (5) from two major cities in Bangladesh, Dhaka and Khulna. Thematic analysis found that historically, animals had a utilitarian purpose, such as livestock for food and dogs for security. The role and perceptions of companion animals began to change for some around the turn of the century. Today, companion animal caretakers report social, psychological and physical health benefits from integrating companion animals into their lives. They also report that companion animal ownership can contribute to social problems due to the prevailing stigma against companion animals. This is rooted in the continued utilitarian role attached to companion animals by the majority of the Bangladesh population as well as religious-based non-acceptance. As a result, the Animal Welfare Act (2019) is not well implemented, posing a key concern for companion animal welfare. To tackle this, we propose various ways in which the emerging concept of zooeyia can help promote the welfare of companion animals by challenging the stigma associated with them in Bangladesh. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

18 pages, 305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation Perspectives on Rez Dogs on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, U.S.A.

by Alexandra Cardona, Sloane M. Hawes, Jeannine Cull, Katherine Connolly, Kaleigh M. O’Reilly, Liana R. Moss, Sarah M. Bexell, Michael Yellow Bird and Kevin N. Morris

Animals 2023, 13(8), 1422; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081422 - 21 Apr 2023

Viewed by 3593

Abstract

The research on the relationships between free-roaming dogs, also referred to as reservation dogs or rez dogs, and Indigenous communities is extremely limited. This study aimed to document the cultural significance of rez dogs, challenges related to rez dogs, and community-specific solutions for rez dog issues affecting community health and safety from members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation, also referred to as the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT), who live on the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota, U.S.A. One hour semi-structured interviews with 14 community members of the MHA Nation were conducted in 2016. The interviews were analyzed via systematic and inductive coding using Gadamer’s hermeneutical phenomenology. The primary intervention areas described by the participants included: culturally relevant information sharing, improved animal control policies and practices, and improved access to veterinary care and other animal services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

14 pages, 1151 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ubiquitous Love or Not? Animal Welfare and Animal-Informed Consent in Giant Panda Tourism

by David A. Fennell and Yulei Guo

Animals 2023, 13(4), 718; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040718 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2536

Abstract

Scholars argue that the ubiquity of the “virtual panda”—the panda people meet in zoos and consume as souvenirs, online memes, or videos—exists in a state of hybridity between wild and domesticated. The species has garnered a significant amount of attention because of their iconic status and because of how cute they are to an adoring crowd. However, given the degree of regard tourists have for the panda, there is a dearth of research on different types of visitors to captive panda venues. In filling this gap, we investigated (1) how deeply Chinese “fans” and “non-fans” consider the welfare of captive giant pandas, and (2) if these groups differ in their assessment of whether giant pandas consent to being used as tourist attractions. In both aims, we apply a recent model on animal welfare and animal consent to giant pandas of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

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18 pages, 1862 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions of Farm Animal Sentience and Suffering: Evidence from the BRIC Countries and the United States

by Fernando Mata, Bastian Jaeger and Ivo Domingues

Animals 2022, 12(23), 3416; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233416 - 4 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2584

Abstract

In this study, we examined how beliefs about farm animal sentience and their suffering vary across culture and demographic characteristics. A total of N = 5027) questionnaires were administered in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and the USA. Brazilians showed higher and Chinese lower levels of perceived animal sentience. In Russia and India, the perception of suffering and sentience increases with age, with similar levels to those observed in the USA. In all the countries, more people agreed than disagreed that animals are sentient. Men in India show higher levels of agreement with the relation between eating meat and animal suffering, followed by women in Brazil and China. Lower levels of agreement are observed in Americans and Chinese. Women show higher levels of compassion than men. In Russia, there is a slightly higher level of agreement between men and in the USA younger men agree more. Young American men show higher levels of agreement, while in India and China age has the opposite effect. For fair trading competition, it is important to standardize procedures and respect the demand for both animal protein and its ethical production. Overall, our results showed that perceptions of farm animal sentience and suffering vary substantially across countries and demographic groups. These differences could have important consequences for the perceived ethicality of meat production and consumption, and for global trade in animal products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

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Review

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27 pages, 19168 KiB

Open AccessReview

Farm Animal Welfare Is a Field of Interest in China: A Bibliometric Analysis Based on CiteSpace

by Lihang Cui, Wenjie Tang, Xiaoshang Deng and Bing Jiang

Animals 2023, 13(19), 3143; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13193143 - 8 Oct 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1943

Abstract

Farm animal welfare research conducted in China is not commonly accessed or known outside of China, which may lead to the assumption that farm animal welfare receives relatively little attention in China. Therefore, a bibliometric analysis was conducted on the existing Chinese farm animal welfare literature to provide robust evidence to refute this assumption. A total of 1312 peer-reviewed Chinese studies on farm animal welfare published between March 1992 and June 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. CiteSpace software was used to analyze and visualize the number, species, authors, institutions, journals, and keywords of the papers. In China, farm animal welfare research has gone through the processes of an early stage (1992–2001), rapid-growth stage (2002–2007), and mature stage (2008–present), and the scale of research continues to grow. Notably, swine and chickens have received priority attention in this area. A Matthew effect was observed for authors and institutions, with relatively little collaboration among authors and institutions. Most of the papers were published in a small number of journals, with an apparent agglomeration characteristic. The research hotspots, summarized as “feed and diet”, “environmental impacts and control”, “integrated rearing management”, “injury and disease”, “behavior and technologies for behavior monitoring”, “genetic analysis”, “welfare during transport and slaughter”, “welfare-friendly animal product consumption”, “attitudes toward farm animal welfare”, and “healthy breeding”. The keywords “computer vision”, “recognition”, “temperature”, “precision livestock farming”, “laying hen”, and “behavior”, represent the major research frontiers in the field, which could indicate potential areas of significant future research. The findings of the present bibliometric analysis confirm the fact that farm animal welfare is a field of interest in China. Farm animal welfare research in China tends to be pragmatic, with a strong emphasis on enhancing growth and production performance, as well as product quality, rather than solely concentrating on improving farm animal welfare. This paper provides insightful references that researchers can use to identify and understand the current status and future direction of the farm animal welfare field in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

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Other

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26 pages, 87965 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperCommentary

Wicked Problems, Novel Solutions: Nepalese Elephant Tourism and Conservation

by Michelle Szydlowski

Animals 2024, 14(1), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010171 - 4 Jan 2024

Viewed by 2213

Abstract

Endangered Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) find themselves at the center of debates involving politics, land use, human–wildlife conflict, and environmental justice. The intensity of such debates has led scholars to label conservation challenges as wicked problems with profound implications on local and global practice. In elephant range states such as Nepal, these debates are made more complex through human ‘ownership’ of endangered individuals for use in tourism, worship, or co-work. Human perspectives on the ethics of using animals for tourism are changing, even in areas heavily reliant on the tourism industry for survival. These debates become inflamed when non-residents take on adversarial positions despite an acceptance of the ‘ownership’ or ‘use’ of endangered individuals among local communities. Novel approaches are needed if there is any hope of establishing a common ground upon which to build relationships which may benefit community members, international interests, and endangered individuals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

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18 pages, 335 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Thinking with Civets: The Role of Zoos in the Decolonisation of Animal Tourism

by Jes Hooper

Animals 2023, 13(11), 1739; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111739 - 24 May 2023

Viewed by 2475

Abstract

Civets belong to the family Viverridae, an ancient line of ‘cat-like’ animals. Despite their large geographic distribution across southeast Asia and parts of Africa, little scientific attention has been attributed to Viverrids or Viverrid–human relations. This paper applies the lens of civets to explore the tensive intersection between animal welfare, conservation, and colonialism within the tourism landscape. Through thinking with civets, this paper brings two forms of animal commodification into dialogue: (1) the management of civets in zoos around the globe and (2) the rising trend in civet coffee production and tourism in Asia. By qualitatively analysing the entanglements between colonialism, animal welfare, and conservation and how each impacts the lives and treatment of civets in tourism, this paper calls for enhanced reflexivity and thus the decolonisation of animal-based tourism. Suggestions are made on how zoos may progress towards the decolonisation of animal tourism, and the argument is made that zoos are well positioned and morally obligated to answer this call. By doing so, greater attention can be given to the animals whose lives are most affected by the global tourism landscape. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare from a Cross-Cultural Perspective)

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