University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Proceedings of the Thirteenth Vertebrate Pest Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings Conference (1988) collection

March 1988

ANIMAL RIGHTS AND VERTEBRATE PEST CONTROL

Dale L. Brooks School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/vpcthirteen

Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons

Brooks, Dale L., " AND VERTEBRATE PEST CONTROL" (1988). Proceedings of the Thirteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference (1988). 6. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/vpcthirteen/6

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings collection at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the Thirteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference (1988) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. ANIMAL RIGHTS AND VERTEBRATE PEST CONTROL

DALE L. BROOKS, D.V.M., Ph.D., Animal Resources Service, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616.

ABSTRACT: Many animal rights activists are very vocal in their belief that animals are more valuable or at least equally important to . There is little to no compromise in their overall view that the use of animals for food, fiber, teaching, research and testing does not result in improvements for other animals or societal needs. Today's activists are well prepared and very articulate in getting their views across to the public through the press and television media. An increasing number of the public is beginning to believe the activist allegations of inhumane animal practi ces. The biologist can no longer ignore these allegations; each of us must become active vocal proponents of the benefits of what we are doing and that we are caring people who practice the highest standards of .

Proc. Vertebr. Pest Conf. (A. C. Crabb and R.E. Marsh, Eds.), Printed at Univ. of Calif., Davis. 13:14 -17, 1988

Animal rights is a difficult, complex, emotional issue humans to treat certain species with more or less respect than that incites otherwise normal, logical people to expose their others. Federal animal welfare legislation regulates only most unpleasant natures, short tempers, impatience, and dogs, cats, monkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Rats inability to understand others' points of view (Fox 1986). The and mice are not covered. In the Bible, rats and mice are old saying, "all's fair in love, war, and politics," is also vermin and the d earth of the earth, so many people feel that apropos to the wide spectrum of opinions and ideas about it's OK to hurt them and kill them, but it's not OK to kill animal rights. "higher life forms." The real question of animal rights is Most people think animal rights is a new issue, but it whether or not is a true thing, whether or not man real ly isn't. Historically, the English in the late 1800's were is more important than animals , whether or not there is any early animal advocates (Rowan 1984). Victorian antiviv - sort of hierarchy of rights among animals. Those who feel isectionists viewed medical practice and science as a threat there is a true equality among species seldom grant any room to morals and religion, that disease was a product of sin and for compromise. Most people who do feel there is a certain folly, and experim ental biology had undesirable behavioral hierarchy still need assurance that the biomedic al and agri - implications on morals, society and evolution (French 1975). cultural community is sensitive to the needs of the animals For the past 50 years or so, the conception of animal they deal with. rights people seemed mostly to be little old ladies in tennies. The exists primarily in the Today's animal rights activists are often well educated, wealthier developed countries among people whose time is articulate, and organized —and young. Their old name, no longer consumed by the hunter -gatherer survival relation - "antivivisectionists," is pretty much out. Certainly the ships, in societies with time to sit and philosophize over the majority of modern people are concerned with the well -being moral and ethical issues. Many of today's animal rightists of animals and with their interactions with humans, so we all have evolved from supporters of the causes of the 60's and thi nk of ourselves as "animal welfarists." 70's —, , , equality, peace and, fre - The "animal activists" are those who really get involved, quently, vegetarian ism (Singer 1975). Wrap up the energy of who vocalize their opinions and work to effect changes in all these causes into a fight against animal misuse and you get society's attitude and treatment of animals. A few of these a fairly radical animal rightist and his or her cause. These activists with more extreme views have b ecome "animal people have a sincere and fundamentalist approach. They rightists" who feel that animals should have rights at least impress the public and the press a s people who really care and equal to beings. Our legal system considers animals whose sensitivity comes from their hearts. It often appears, to be chattel, or property, so beyond the existing laws about however, that a high percentage of the animal rightists animal welfare and cruelty, animals do not have any legal (certainly not all of them) care more about animals than they rig hts. If one of several pending lawsuits is decided in favor do about people. Their pets are substitutes for their loved of the rights of an animal, this court precedence will have a ones, children, spouses or significant others. Whenever they profound influence on all of us that have anything to do with hear the words "animal uses," all they see are their beloved animals. Certain particularly impatient animal rightists have companions. There is no compromise to imagine animals formed the radical " Front," a nebulous used properly other than as treasured pets. This strong group of zealots who have claimed credit for terrorist activi - companion an imal bond is often the most important aspect of ties involving breaking, entering, and trashing laboratories, their lives. A small number of the most philosophical animal stealing animals, and . rightists complain that animals are being treated as no more Another popular term is "speciesism," the tendency of than indentured slaves and that they should all be set free to

14 roam and do as the y please. Many of these people have very (Singer 1975), and 's Animal Rights and Human little knowledge of animal ecology or behavior (Fox 1986). Obligations (Regan and Singer 1976). These two books They seem ignorant of the facts of life of predator -prey expound the basic arguments for today's animal rights relationships and the food chain. movement. Many of us saw the movie about World War II's The real question gets down to who's the most impor - "Patton." The general is standing in his North African bunker tant —humans o r animals? Many of us were raised in a with his field glasses watching his American tanks battle with northern European culture with the Judeo -Christian Bible the German ones under the command of the famous General ethic, and in Genesis it says that man has the dominion over Romm el; seeing that his own tank forces are winning, he says, animals and other living creatures (Brumbaugh 1978, Singer "Rommel, you magnificent bastard, I read your book," 1975). Well, this right of dominion is w hat is being ques - referring to the German officer's own treatise on the tactics tioned. Possibly our self -proclaimed position at the top of of tank warfare. Many of us tend to ignore the animal nature's pyramid does not confer any moral distinction rightists' entire movement, h oping it will all go away. Thus, except insofar as it makes us responsible for the well -being 1 suggest you, like Patton, read your opponents' books. The of those below us (Rollins 1981). We Americans are a nebulous, faceless, extremist group, the Animal Liberation generatio n who have been raised primarily in the city and Front, is encouraged to undertake radical terrorist activities. spent many hours watching television. We suffer from "Big Over the last couple of years this group has claimed respon - Bird Syndrome," in which all we know about animals is what sibility for burning a veterinary diagnostic laboratory, live - we learned from watching "Sesame Street," where animals stock slaughter and packing buildings, breaking, entering, ARE people. Most people know littl e about how food and destroying research facilities and the stealing of research fiber get into those tidy, convenient supermarket packages. animals. Research personnel have received death threats , They have no idea where food products come from or how bomb scares at their homes, red -spray painting of their homes food animals are raised, and they avoid acknowledging that and cars, along with slashing of tires. To date, this animals were killed to become the patty in their "Big Mac." has cost millions of dollars in destroyed property, loss of Few of the millions of city dwellers have any knowledge or animals, data, and time —much of these costs to the taxpayer. appreciation for the role of agriculture and non -pet animals Fortuna tely, so far, no one has really been hurt, but it is just in our society. We who are aware have a tremendous a matter of time before somebody will be a victim of the educational challenge to change the way many people think animal rights movement. Law enforcement agencies now list about animals. the as a dangerous terrorist move - How do the an imal rightist and some of the public view ment. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and researchers, teachers, fanners, ranchers and vertebrate pest other animal activist groups disclaim any participation but controllers? To many people, these professions have an are often spokespersons for these illegal acts. Their justifi - image of being insensitive and uncaring. We are cold -hearted cation for their is to stop the needless murder of conformists to the principles of the scientific approach. Our animals for food and biomedical research . interests are self -serving to our needs to publish papers, create The point is that these animal rights groups are on the more jobs, prepare more projects to make sure that we offensive. They are out there doing something. We, the continue in our present employment. The animal rightist traditional agriculturists, biologists, and researchers are just does not consider our work to be a contribution to soci ety. We being reactive. We wait until allegations are brought against are accused of having no sensitivity to any sort of suffering, us. The more sen sational the allegation the more likely it will in fact, no feelings whatsoever. We are here just to exploit, be front page headlines: "Animals liberated from torturous to challenge, to interfere with and to control animals, the research." "Thousands of innocent animals needlessly killed environment, and society and for our own profit to profit the rich." Rarely does the press complain that some An increasing n umber of people think we have arrived at of the animal rightists' ac tions are illegal, that animals are a stage in our scientific and educational system where we being stolen, and that private and public property is being know everything we need to know that will benefit mankind, ravaged and individuals' rights invaded. The purported society, and other animals. Much of today's research "guilty" scientists and liberated animals sell more papers. utilizing genetic engineering and recombinant DNA is just The biomedical community must become involved in too futuristic, going a step too far beyond the natural laws educating the public on about what we do and why we do it. of nature. Animal rightists seriously believe that any addi - Too often we sit around and talk to each other, nod our heads tional research, teaching, and testing can be done with in agreement and say, "Hey, we're the good guys, we know computer simulations and mathematical modeling. The what we're doing, and we're really contributing to the public receive s further "proof of these beliefs from philoso - betterment of the w orld." Presently, a lot of people don't phers, theologians, and a small number of academicians in understand, appreciate, or believe in science, research, and biology, animal science, and human and veterinary medicine universities. It is imperative for you to communicate the who, who have become animal rightists. what, when and why of your job. Recent surveys showed that The most radical animal rightists tend to be vegetarians 60 -70% of the population feel it' s OK for science to use who follow the teachings of 's book Animal animals as long as there are assurances that the animals are Liberation: A New for Our Treatment of Animals not suffering. That means one in three do not support animal

15 research. A recent California vote in San Bernadino County Recently, environmentalist groups have joined forces on whether the local pound should release anim als for with the animal rights groups. Together, they are a very research won, but by only 51 %. There' s a significant segment powerful lobby. Our only solution is to get involv ed, to show of the population out there that is really not confident about by example that we, too, are caring people and are considerate what we're doing. We can no longer just go assuming that the of the animals we use. animal rights people are merely an extremely vocal minority Volunteer your time to a local speakers bureau, give talks of a few crazies. The animal activists are effective spokes - for civic groups, join the Humane Society —read and listen to persons, and they are winning over the public's opinion. the other side. Be informed; remember that both sides of The general public has little understanding of why or most arguments have some elements of truth, some room how animals are used for testing. Frequently the same people for improvement, and some need for compromise. who want more assurances of human safety and protection of The areas for compromise and improvement will always our environment are the ones who say we don't need to use consider the 3 R' s. The reduction in the numbers of animals animals for testing. They fuss about animal traps and poisons used for research, ref inement of experimental techniques, but also refuse to support testing of biological controls and the replacement of animals by alternative models (Howard 1986). They release test animals, wh ich may not (Russell and Burch 1959). During the past 10 years most survive in the wild anyway, that are used to establish maximal biomedical facilities have reduced their numbers of animals toxicities to protect wild animals. There is little understand - by over 30% (Rowan 1984). This reduction of animal use for ing of the animal welfare laws that regulate the use of animals teaching, research, and testing is due partly to an expanded for product safety testing. database that can be more reliable in mathematical and Too often the animal right s groups, with the help of the computer modeling and other advances that improve our press, allege some torturous act, and the beleaguered re - technology. The lobbying of animal activists must be searcher then must spend most of his or her time and effort credited with nudging oft en balky scientists toward the 3 R's, explaining why it's not so. We need to stop being so but we must also point out to the public that it is these defensive, always trying to explain why we aren't doing scientific advances that are making the 3 R's more achiev - whatever we're accused of doing. We must learn to be able. The biomedical community will foreseeably be able to positive, emphasize the benefits of what we're doing, and reduce further the numbers of animals it ne eds, but it will whenever possible, to do it in a couple of short, quotable probably never totally eliminate the need for them. sentences. Most TV news programs give your view only 60 - Animals and humans will continue to suffer various 90 seconds of coverage, and t he newspapers like quotable maladies, and we can neither stop seeking remedies nor find one -liners for their story captions. Long involved statements cures for them overnight. We must be realistic that progress are often taken out of context for whatever will have the most takes time, and we must consider a broad spectrum of emotional impact. Provide the details of your work in a brief balanced objectives for animal use for the future. Defending written handout. Remember always to commu nicate in terms how we care for and use animals needs to be assessed by a that are easily understood. Only your mother and teachers are balanced team of reviewers. Too often the scientific commu - impressed by big words and scientific jargon. nity tells the public that we have adequ ate peer review and Primary schools are eager for 15 to 45 -minute programs controls. Many view this as letting the fox guard the hen about animals, science and agriculture. The Humane Society house! has taken advantag e of this opening and produced an excel - We need a spectrum of qualified points of view from lent, superbly organized manual on the care and use of biologists, agriculturists, conservationists, sociologists, animals that primary school teachers can easily work into a ecologists, environmentalists, resource analysts, and veter i- daily lesson plan (Junior Leagues of Boston, Champaign - narians who can provide a qualified view of the many ways Urbana and Ogden 1981). Subtly and effectively , the to solve the challenges facing society (Fox 1986). manual puts forth the vegetarian's and animal rightist's In addition to peer reviewers, we need to include indi - points of view on the use and care of animals for teaching, viduals who appreciate the position of animals in the food research, testing, factory farming, , and chain and who recognize key sen tinel animals and plants. . The animal activists are getting their views The appointment of a lay person to these review committees across to children at a receptive and formative age. Each of is important, as these individuals often play the role of a us who believes that animals play a broader role in society "devil' s advocate," bringing out points of view that might not beyond that of compan ion pets must get involved in primary be considered otherwise. The selection of this lay individual and secondary school career days and the numerous other is not always easy. Animal rights groups campaign to be opportunities to give short presentations. The University represented, sometimes to the detriment of the review com - Extension, 4 -H, Farm Bureau, and biomedical groups need mittee when they become obstructive of all progress. Gain - to cooperate with one another and with the schools to ing access to confidential information, they may inappropri - provide easy -to -use and readily available instructional ately mak e wild allegations to the press when the rest of the aids. Have tours of your facility. Be open to the public; any peer committee does not go along with their ideas. The time you have a closed shop the public thinks you are hiding majority of biomedical facilities presently have good review something. Explain and show what you're doing. committees resulting in excellent public relations. Other

16 groups that deal with animals should consider and implement the best standards o f animal care and use in properly reviewed animal care committees even when not mandated by existing and approved experimental designs. animal welfare laws. This will help to show the public that Remember that humaneness is an attitude that each of us we are doing our best to safeguard mankind, the food supply, must demonstrate by example. A logical, balanced behavior and our environment. Certainly the dev elopers of biocides shows our respect and reverence for all life. We are doing our must consider not only the 3 R's —reduction, refinement, and best to improve an imperfect world, to minimize cruelty, replacement —in their product's development and safety suffering, and destruction of the environment. The public testing, but also how many animals beyond the target species needs to know that. will be killed, damaged, or made to suffer. Must we always us e higher concentrations of more lethal components? What LITERATURE CITED are the secondary non -selective effects? How can biode - BRUMBAUGH, R.S. 1978. Of man, animals and morals: a gradability be improved? brief history. In: On the fifth day: animal rights an d Vertebrate pest controllers call their discipline inte - human ethics. R. K. Morris and M. A. Fox (eds.). grated pest control. We must learn not to rely on ever higher Acropolis, Washington, DC. con centrations of lethal materials but rather seek out the FOX, M.A. 1986. The case for animal experimentation. admittedly less -profitable, time -consuming approach of University of California Press, Berkeley, California. timing the application of minimal chemicals to coincide with FRENCH,R.D. 1975. Antivivisection and medical science in most vulnerable biological cycles (Rudd 1964). Similarly, in Victorian soci ety. Princeton University Press, Prince - medicine we still tend to rely heavily on using more drugs and ton, New Jersey. surgery rather than the less -dramatic and less -profitable HOWARD, W.E. 1986. Nature and animal welfare. Expos - preventive public health programs. We also need to put forth ition Press of Florida, Pomano Beach, Florida. better public arguments for the need of basic research to JUNIOR LEAGUES OF BOSTON, CHAMPAIGN -UR - provide the foundation for applied rese arch. BANA AND OGDEN. 1981. Humane Education Pro - The scientific community must become proactive for jects Handbook. needed legislation to provide the standards for care of each RE GAN, T. and P. SINGER (Eds.). 1976. Animal rights and animal and plant species. What are the proper standards for human obligations. Prentice -Hall, Englewood, New care, the definition of stress, acute and chronic pain, and how Jersey. do we reduce o r alleviate suffering? Unfortunately we don't ROLLINS, B.E. 1981. Animal rights and human morality. have all the answers to provide these standards. Yet the Prometheus Books, Buffalo, New York. scientific community contains the experts who must work ROWAN, A.N. 1984. Of mice models and man: a critical towards establishing these answers. Too often the animal evaluation of animal research. State University of New welfare activists initiate legislation, and the scientific com - York Press, Albany. munity comes forward in its "Johnny come lately" defensive RUDD, R.L. 1964. Pesticides and the living landscape. The posture on why the proposed legislation is not needed or University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. incorrectly written. When we scientists recognize a need for RUSSELL, W.M.S. and R.L. BURCH. 1959. The principles legislation for a specific animal, plant, or environment al of humane experimental techniqu e. Methuen Press, concern, let's take the time and effort to be proactive. London. We also must provide more training for all levels of personnel. Everyone needs to understand the pros and cons SINGER, P. 1975. Animal liberation: a new ethics for our of the animal welfare issues. We all need to be able to provide treatment of animals. New York Review, Random House, New York.

17