Search Results (182)

Research on sustainable consumption has identified gender-related differences in environmental attitudes and consumer preferences, yet evidence regarding the magnitude and consistency of these differences remains mixed across cultural contexts. Poland provides a relevant context for examining these patterns in a Central European consumer market undergoing environmental and energy-related transitions. This study examines whether women and men differ in the perceived importance of purchasing criteria and in selected pro-environmental attitudes related to energy-efficient and environmentally friendly everyday products. The CAWI survey was conducted among 1068 adult respondents recruited by an external research provider, using a non-probability sample with equal representation of women and men. Gender differences were initially assessed using the Mann–Whitney U test with Holm’s correction and effect size estimation, supplemented by multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and Spearman’s rank correlation. Price and ingredient quality received the highest ratings in both groups, indicating significant similarity between women and men. After Holm’s correction, four gender differences remained statistically significant in unadjusted comparisons. Additional robustness analyses, controlling for age group, financial situation, employment status, and place of residence, showed that only two associations remained statistically stable: women reported greater concern about climate change and attributed greater importance to cruelty-free products. Overall, the observed gender differences were small and selective, and gender accounted for only a very small part of the multivariate response structure. The results therefore suggest that the overall similarity between women and men is greater than the magnitude of the observed differences and caution against treating gender as a strong, stand-alone basis for explaining or segmenting consumer environmental preferences. Full article

We conducted a novel study of the current animal shelter landscape in Hong Kong. Seeking to identify the operational challenges faced by shelter owners and volunteers in meeting the needs of their animals, we conducted 22 interviews involving 10 large shelter operators and 12 long-term shelter managers/operations support staff. Eight interviewees had more than 20 years’ experience in operations. Interviewees identified inadequate regulatory oversight and lack of clear animal welfare policy leadership from the government as presenting serious impediments to the well-being of shelter animals. Interviewees reported that, in the absence of coherent and meaningful legislation and policies on animal welfare, they have become the primary bearer of responsibility for unsustainable numbers of unwanted animals and the authority on acceptable animal welfare practices, allowing for significant variations in standards. Our findings indicate that lack of government-led education setting out acceptable standards of care for animals and regulation of online fundraising is permitting those who seek to exploit animals for profit to use social media to ‘sell tragedy’ online, detracting funds from shelters already in financial need and undermining animal welfare in Hong Kong. Full article

Mass companion animal mortality scenes pose major veterinary forensic and animal welfare challenges, particularly when remains are commingled, variably decomposed, or skeletonized. In March 2023, the remains of 1256 dogs and cats were recovered from a private residence in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, after prolonged deprivation of food and water. Because whole-carcass enumeration was not feasible across the entire site, a standardized skull-based minimum number of individuals (MNI) approach was used to derive the scene-wide count by combining direct counts of intact, non-duplicated carcasses with counts of isolated skulls from disarticulated remains. A representative subset of 22 specimens, consisting of 16 carcasses submitted by the investigating police and 6 isolated skulls collected during the scene investigation, underwent detailed forensic examination including postmortem radiography, full necropsy, and toxicological screening. Body condition scoring was possible in 5 of the 16 carcasses, and all five scored 1 to 3 on a 9-point scale, consistent with severe to extreme emaciation. Toxicological screening of all 16 carcasses was negative for all tested substance classes. Gross and Radiographical examination of the 6 isolated skulls identified external traumatic fractures and scavenging punctures in 3 specimens, breed-typical persistent open fontanels without evidence of trauma in 2, and an indeterminate suture-associated lesion in 1. This report proposes a practical and reproducible veterinary forensic workflow for large-scale companion animal mortality scenes in which extensive decomposition prevents reliable direct enumeration. The combined use of skull-based MNI estimation, structured necropsy, whole-body postmortem radiography, toxicological exclusion testing, and standardized skull morphology assessment supports evidentiary documentation and courtroom prosecution in mass animal cruelty investigations. Full article

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Community Engagement (CE) program works with communities in New York City to improve animal welfare through accessible services and outreach to pet owners. To systematically identify welfare needs, the CE team developed a 10-item Animal Needs Assessment (ANA) tool and applied it to 519 cases (records that track from first report to resolution or loss of contact with a client) between January 2021 and September 2024. The most frequent needs were lack of enrichment or resting places, illness, behavioral needs and the removal of hazards. Social service referrals were associated with more serious animal needs, highlighting the intersection of human and animal vulnerability. Services were successfully delivered in 93% of cases, and client openness at first contact predicted successful follow-through. These findings suggest that assessment tools such as the ANA may help guide service planning and inform strategies for improving community-based animal welfare initiatives. Full article

On the morning of Saturday, 7 October 2023, which was also the Jewish Festival of Simchat Torah, Israel was attacked by the Hamas terrorist organization based in the Gaza strip. The attack resulted in the murder of 1200 Israeli citizens and foreign workers, thousands were wounded, and some 250 women, men, elderly, and children were abducted, including babies of less than a year old. Hundreds were raped and all the bodies were mutilated, some beyond recognition. The extent of the attack and the extreme cruelty left Israeli citizens shocked and outraged, resulting in Israel’s involvement in the Gaza War. The current article seeks to characterize the responses of recognized influential rabbinical figures from different sectors of Israeli Orthodoxy in both the ultra-orthodox and religious Zionist sectors to these grave events, and to determine to what extent are they consistent with one of the most widely (especially on the political right) voiced secular arguments, namely that the 2005 Gaza withdrawal was one of the root causes of the October 7 massacre. Full article

Animal abuse and substandard animal care may be difficult to report when members of the public are uncertain about the seriousness of their observations, the competent authority, or the information needed for further assessment. This study aimed to develop and preliminarily evaluate a structured online reporting interface for suspected animal abuse and animal welfare concerns in Hungary. Two public online questionnaires assessed reporting-related knowledge, experiences, and preferences, and a separate professional questionnaire examined the experiences of actors involved in animal protection procedures. Based on these findings, the Hungarian legal context, and international reporting models, a browser-based prototype was developed and professionally tested by staff members of the National Food Chain Safety Office. Public respondents significantly differentiated between suspected criminal animal cruelty and substandard animal keeping: the police were selected more often for animal cruelty cases, whereas the notary was selected more often for substandard keeping cases (p < 0.001). Substandard keeping conditions were observed significantly more frequently than direct animal abuse (p < 0.001). Professional testing indicated that the prototype was understandable, transparent, and potentially useful, although further refinement, institutional integration, and field validation are required. Full article

China’s legal system currently lacks a comprehensive animal protection law, and its Criminal Law contains no specific offense for animal cruelty. Consequently, judicial protection for companion animals relies on offenses designed to safeguard human interests, such as intentional destruction of property, theft, and releasing hazardous substances, manifesting a distinct characteristic of indirect protection. This study systematically reviews criminal cases to examine the current state of animal protection provided by Chinese criminal law, identifying the fundamental limitation that such protection is merely incidental or reflective. The research findings indicate that while current frameworks are human-centric, there is significant untapped potential within existing statutes. Specifically, this article advocates for utilizing the crime of illegal use of information networks and other relevant offenses to address the critical regulatory gap concerning the production, sale, and dissemination of animal torture media. This pragmatic solution offers a valuable reference for jurisdictions facing similar legislative voids where specialized animal protection laws are unlikely to be enacted in the short term, promoting a more effective utilization of existing criminal doctrines to safeguard animal welfare. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Animal hoarding is a recognized form of animal cruelty characterized by the accumulation of animals under conditions of inadequate care, leading to compromised welfare and an increased risk of disease transmission. Veterinarians are often the first to identify such cases through clinical presentation. This case report describes a forensic investigation of a dog associated with animal hoarding and environmental neglect in Bangkok, Thailand. Case Presentation: A 7-year-old male mixed-breed dog was presented with seizures, emaciation, dehydration, and ectoparasite infestation. Hematological findings revealed leukopenia and anemia, and diagnostic testing confirmed infection with canine distemper virus (CDV) and Dirofilaria immitis. Despite supportive treatment, the dog died within 48 h. A subsequent site inspection, conducted using the TRACE model and based on crime scene investigation principles, identified 13 dogs housed in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Environmental assessment revealed poor sanitation, waste accumulation, and fluorescent stains of unknown origin detected under ultraviolet light (365 nm) in the cage areas. Among the animals, infections with CDV (23.08%), Dirofilaria immitis (53.85%), and Ehrlichia canis (61.54%) were identified, indicating a high burden of infectious and vector-borne diseases. Conclusions: This case demonstrates the value of integrating clinical veterinary findings with forensic investigation in the assessment of animal neglect. The combined use of clinical, laboratory, and environmental evidence strengthens documentation and supports potential legal action. Enhanced veterinary forensic training and standardized protocols are recommended to improve early detection and intervention in animal cruelty cases. Full article

Animal abuse, encompassing active cruelty and neglect, is an underreported animal welfare and public safety concern. In Hungary, the parallel administrative and criminal law definitions of animal cruelty create additional uncertainty for citizens, professionals, and authorities, particularly regarding which institution should receive and evaluate a report. Existing reporting pathways are unstructured, and rarely produce documentation that is directly usable in subsequent administrative or criminal proceedings. This study presents the concept design of a structured online citizen-reporting interface developed for the Hungarian regulatory context. The interface functions as a structured intake tool: it guides non-expert reporters through standardised, category-based data entry; supports the submission of contextual evidence, including photographs, videos and location data; and prepares structured case files for transmission to the competent authority. The concept was shaped by a preliminary stakeholder needs assessment, in which people knowledgeable in animal welfare issues and members of the general public participated. The system does not perform legal or veterinary welfare assessment; instead, it standardises the information available to the responsible administrative, investigative or expert veterinary actor. Anticipated benefits include improved completeness of initial reports, clearer routing between administrative and criminal pathways, support for reporting, and a documentation format compatible with downstream expert evaluation. Full article

Free-living unowned cats are prevalent across the UK and may experience numerous welfare challenges. However, there is limited research around this. Cat shelter workers were interviewed on the complexities of unowned cat welfare and management, current barriers and recommended solutions. A total of 25 participants partook in semi-structured one-to-one interviews, which were thematically analysed. Some of the main welfare concerns described were overpopulation, health issues, the absence of preventative medical care, cruelty, and neglect. Key barriers included limited resources, funding, personnel and infrastructure, alongside inappropriate management of cats not suited to domestic lifestyles. External barriers included insufficient government support, limited public awareness around cat welfare issues, and fragmented care provision of cats within the community. Other overlapping barriers include inconsistent terminology use and management practices within shelters and communities. Participants recommended more strategic use of shelter resources towards population management programmes including TNR, professional staff training, and the standardisation of terms such as “stray” and “feral”. They advocated for a shared responsibility framework for unowned cats involving animal welfare organisations, the veterinary sector, communities, and the government. This would include stronger collaboration between charities to share knowledge and establish industry best practice, alongside greater government support through the introduction and enforcement of legislation. Full article

Veterinary students’ perceptions of animal welfare are shaped by both educational exposure and individual background, with direct implications for future clinical decision-making. This study evaluated 157 ninth-semester veterinary students enrolled in a Deontology and Veterinary Legal course at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain) across six academic years (2019/2020–2025/2026), excluding 2020/2021 due to pandemic-related teaching modifications. Participants completed a structured, previously published questionnaire assessing twelve common dog welfare issues on a 5-point Likert scale, subsequently grouped into five dog welfare dimensions. Students consistently prioritized overt and severe dog welfare concerns, including abuse or active cruelty, lack of treatment to prevent suffering, and malnutrition, while assigning lower importance to breed-related conditions and behavioral problems. Significant differences across academic years were identified for seven items and all dimensions, revealing temporal variability in dog welfare perception between cohorts. Gender and student background also influenced responses, with female and exchange students generally assigning higher scores to selected issues. These findings suggest that the perception of dog welfare is not static but varies between cohorts across academic years and is shaped by sociocultural factors. Strengthening veterinary curricula to address less visible and socially normalized dog welfare problems may be critical to ensuring comprehensive and ethically grounded professional practice. Full article

Estimates suggest that approximately 400 million dogs are kept as pets worldwide. Despite their popularity, around 10% to 30% are surrendered to rescue shelters each year. Shelter workers play a pivotal role in the success of dog adoptions and provide ongoing support to help owners keep these dogs in their homes. However, research that captures their perspectives and experiences regarding the dog adoption process remains limited. Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Queensland shelter teams participated in six focus group discussions to share their perspectives and experiences of the dog adoption process in their shelters. Reflexive thematic analysis of the gathered data generated three themes: 1. “Doing great adoptions” starts with an inclusive, well-resourced application process and a skilled team. 2. Finding the right fit involves navigating the duality of carer and advocate through honest, informative interactions with the whole family. 3. Successful outcomes involve supporting and educating the public to care for and keep their dog. This grounded understanding of the challenges facing shelters in their work could provide valuable feedback to help shelter leaders and staff develop policies and practices that support positive adoption outcomes, tailor programmes to local needs, and reduce return rates. Full article

Background: Free-roaming cats in Australian cities contribute to wildlife impacts, community concerns, and high shelter intake. We used an observational pre–post evaluation study design of a targeted cat desexing program (“StrayCare Metro”) delivered with councils and community partners in four local government areas (LGAs) of Greater Sydney (2022–2024). Methods: Program records documented cat enrolments and services; council and state databases supplied annual shelter intake, euthanasia, and cat-related complaints; and transect drives in two LGAs (2021 and 2024) estimated cat encounter rates and population density. The analysis did not include control LGAs. Results: The program desexed 1225 cats; among enrolled cats not already microchipped, 72% received a microchip and 28% declined despite this being offered for free. Compared with pre-program baselines, annual council shelter intake decreased by 49–73% within LGAs (61% overall), with concurrent reductions in euthanasia. Cat-related complaints declined in three LGAs (47–64%) but increased in one. Transect drives indicated substantial declines in cat encounter rates in Blue Mountains (51%) and Campbelltown (35%) and lower density estimates in both surveyed LGAs. Conclusions: A collaborative targeted desexing approach was associated with large reductions in council pound intake, euthanasia, and, in most areas, nuisance complaints, alongside independent indications of reduced free-roaming cat density. Full article

The emotional responses to bullying victimization are central to its impact on subsequent psychological consequences, but the role of specific emotions is insufficiently defined within a comprehensive framework. In order to enhance the understanding of the emotional experiences of bullying victims, the present review examines the role of self-conscious emotions (i.e., humiliation, shame, and guilt), the role of basic emotions (i.e., anger and fear), and various psychological consequences (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation). A non-systematic, narrative approach was employed to synthesize the findings, with a total of 343 articles included in the review. Self-conscious emotions appear to be central to bullying victimization, with humiliation being particularly pivotal due to its link to internalized self-devaluation, perceived injustice, and attribution of cruelty to the perpetrator. In turn, anger and fear seem to constitute crucial basic emotions in response to bullying dynamics. Although anger may escalate aggression, it may also facilitate positive confrontational behaviors when properly channeled, whereas fear may contribute to avoidance and increased victimization if sustained. Adverse psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation are prevalent among victims of bullying, potentially exacerbated in vulnerable groups. Future research should further explore the role of emotions in the context of bullying victimization, examining their impact on both mental health outcomes and behavioral patterns over time. Exploring how different emotional responses interact and influence each other within bullying dynamics could provide insights into effective intervention strategies, and a more comprehensive understanding of the sociocultural factors influencing emotional responses to bullying might help in customizing prevention and support measures across diverse contexts. Full article

Facial cosmetics are undergoing a significant transformation driven by scientific innovation, consumer awareness, and a growing demand for personalized and sustainable solutions. This article explores the latest developments in active ingredients, such as exosomes, growth factors and cosmeceuticals, alongside the rise of smart skincare technologies, including AI-based diagnostics and connected beauty devices. It also examines evolving consumer preferences, with a focus on transparency, skin health, and environmentally conscious formulations. Together, these trends are shaping a new era in facial cosmetic care, where efficacy, safety, and sustainability converge. Full article