Anzccart News 14.1.Qxd

News March 2001 Vol 14 No 1 The culture and agriculture of animal production Animal mythology ogy” which helps to define Currently, in science and Through much of our history the relationship between agriculture, animals are often the wolf has been seen as an ccording to the leg- humans and other species. viewed as “tools for research” enemy of humans who, in our ends of the Ojibwa Animal mythology, in this (to use Peter Singer’s phrase) popular folk tales, connives to Apeople of central sense, is not a negative term or as commodities to be pro- eat children and old people, Canada, humans were able to implying incorrect or out- duced, processed and traded. and whose death, however survive in the world because dated ideas; it refers rather to However, this view of ani- gruesome, is always a source of the cooperation of animals, basic, popular beliefs and val- mals may clash with the ani- of satisfaction. And in line beginning with the turtle who ues regarding animals, often mal mythology of our culture, with this negative image, peo- allowed its shell to form the best seen in a culture’s art and and that clash can become a ple for centuries have hunted, base of the land, and the toad stories, which influence how source of conflict and public trapped and poisoned wolves who carried soil up from the people view animals and concern. Thus, to understand with few regrets, and until depths. For the people of what they judge to be proper public concerns over the use recent decades, public funds ancient Egypt, a person’s des- conduct toward them. This of animals in agriculture, we in North America were spent tiny after death was decided type of mythological view is need first to understand the to encourage people to exter- by the god Anubis who was not just different from a underlying mythology on minate them. part jackal, by the goddess reductionist, scientific view of which our culture’s values are Matte who was part falcon, animals; it is, in a sense, based. But what are the The farmed animals fall and by other deities who almost the opposite. A reduc- mythologies that pertain to between these two extremes. spanned the human, animal, tionist view sees animals animals in our culture? How They are seen as very much a and supernatural realms. In made up of parts such as are these mythological views part of human culture, and the opening chapter of the genes, chemicals, and physio- changing? And are there sometimes a source of great Bible, all beings were created logical processes, whereas the ways to reconcile our use of pride, but are valued mainly by a single, omnipotent god mythological view starts with farm animals with our animal for their practical usefulness. who then gave humans the the animal as a whole and mythology? Hence, they are seen as wor- responsibility of ruling over then adds additional ele- thy of human care and con- the other species in his place. ments, such as symbolic The nature of animals in sideration, but in ways that meaning and positive or neg- Western mythology are generally consistent with As we see from these ative value, which resonate their practical value. examples, there is a wide- with human fears and aspira- Basic to any animal mytholo- spread tendency for cultures tions. gy are beliefs about what ani- Within our value system, to possess an “animal mythol- mals are like, and related therefore, it might seem com- beliefs about how valuable pletely logical for a person to and important they are. In the take an ageing dog to a veteri- Contents ... West, the most highly valued narian to prolong its life, then animal has traditionally been carefully (so as to avoid caus- the domestic dog which is ing undue stress) load a truck The culture and agriculture of animal production . .1 consistently portrayed in art with six month-old pigs to be Experimental research with laboratory animals: and literature as a loyal and shipped for slaughter, and sympathetic friend to finally set out a leg-hold trap one sex or both? . .5 humankind. Consistent with to do away with some pesky Review of issues relating to animals in this mythology, dogs are typ- coyote. In reality, those three health research . .6 ically treated as members of species are roughly similar in ANZCCART’s 2001 New Zealand conference . .7 human families, given dis- their level of mental function- Factors contributing to the acceptance tinctive names, rescued from ing, their capacity for suffer- of biotechnology . .8 harm by public institutions, ing, and other attributes that Books reviews . .9 and totally exempted from make the animals’ welfare a Newly published . .10 slaughter for human food. legitimate concern. The fact Letter . .10 that we treat the species so Coming up . .11 Ironically, the lowest end differently shows the power- of the moral scale has tradi- ful influence of our animal News . .12 tionally been occupied by the mythology on our day-to-day dog’s close relative, the wolf. actions. The Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching Nonetheless, even deeply are such influential thinkers recognised. Thus, the percep- panzees. Summing up these rooted traditional beliefs such as René Descartes and tion that humans were made observations, Fouts describes as these are open to change. Immanuel Kant who claimed in a different mould became the chimpanzee as, “a highly As one example, Thomas that humans are unique, and less and less accepted. intelligent, co-operative, and Dunlap (1988), in a book saw animals as having been violent primate who nurtures called Saving America’s put on earth purely for A second barrier fell with family bonds, adopts or- Wildlife, describes the vast human use. At the other end the evolutionary thinking of phans, mourns the death of changes that have occurred in are equally influential the 1800s. Through the ideas mothers, practises self-med- the last 50 years in attitudes thinkers such as Voltaire and of Charles Darwin and oth- ication, struggles for power, toward the wolf. As Dunlap Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ers, people began to see the and wages war.” notes, increased scientific who emphasised our related- human species sharing not study of wolves — their ness to the rest of nature, and only a common anatomy with The gap between humans behaviour, communication, were horrified at the idea of other species, but a common and other species could and role in ecological systems treating animals as if they are ancestry as well. This idea hardly seem more narrow. — led to the wolf losing its purely for human use. This was resisted by many who image of a treacherous vil- debate is nicely described in saw it as a direct challenge to This new popular under- lain, and being seen instead the Rod Preece’s book the special status of humans, standing of animals is leading as an intelligent, family-liv- Animals and nature: cultural but it has gradually moved to a major rethinking of how ing animal serving important myths, cultural realities (1999). from being a revolutionary animals should be treated. A ecological functions. In line idea to being the predomi- few decades ago it was social- with this about-face, public A few centuries ago, those nant view in society. ly acceptable in our society to funding for the killing of who emphasised human shoot a chimpanzee mother wolves was withdrawn, and uniqueness had some power- During the late 1900s, I in order to capture her infant, now public funds are even ful arguments on their side. think the study of animal raise it in a cage, and use it as being spent to preserve In terms of appearance, ani- behaviour has led to a further a living test-crash dummy in wolves and to re-establish mals looked different: ani- major change in our view of vehicle safety research. them in parts of their former mals had four legs and fur, or animals, this one centred on Today such conduct would range. wings and feathers, or fins their mental and emotional spark a riot in many countries and scales — nothing like the lives. Key figures in this and prosecution in New The whale provides upright, smooth-skinned development were field biol- Zealand. Moreover, this another example. Tradition- bipeds who saw themselves ogists such as Jane Goodall heightened concern for ally the whale was a relative- as designed to resemble God. who studied animals — in wolves, whales and chim- ly minor character in our sto- In terms of origins, all other her case chimpanzees — not panzees is just the most visi- ries and art, appearing only species were thought to have just as examples of a species ble tip of a much broader occasionally in folk-tales to resulted from a separate act type, but studied them more change in our thinking about swallow a sinner or punish of creation, with humans as “persons” who possess the nature and value of ani- an egotistical sea-captain; and fashioned either before or unique life histories and com- mals — a change which caus- in practical terms, whales after the non-human animals, plex social and mental lives. es serious questioning of were treated as little more and living in a special rela- For example, from Jane ways of treating animals that than floating blubber facto- tionship with the Creator. Goodall we learn of seemed uncontroversial a few ries. In recent years, however, And in terms of mental and McGregor, a chimpanzee decades ago. The implica- we have seen a greater under- spiritual life, animals were who was stricken with polio tions for our use of farm ani- standing of whales’ ability to often viewed as intellectually in adulthood and tried mals are profound.

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