MAW-002 Animal Welfare Issues Block 8 WELFARE ISSUES IN COMPANION, ZOO AND LAB ANIMALS UNIT 17 Welfare Issues in Pet and Companion Animals 77 UNIT 18 Zoo Animals 100 UNIT 19 Welfare Issues in Zoo and Free Living Wild Animals 117 UNIT 20 Welfare Issues in Laboratory Animals 138 Welfare Issues In Companion, Zoo and Lab Animals BLOCK 8 WELFARE ISSUES IN COMPANION, ZOO AND LAB ANIMALS The other group of animals that we need to study as part of animal welfare programme are companion, zoo and lab animals. The pet animals are managed by humans and are integral part of lives of millions of families. Zoo is one among the ex-situ strategy / tool for conservation of endangered wild animals. Further zoo will provide education to the public and also helps in conducting research on wild animals. There are about 350 species of wild animals that are exhibited in different Indian zoos. About 50 million people visit the zoos annually in India. Laboratory animals are those which can be bred and reared / maintained in the laboratory under suitable conditions and intended for use in research, testing, or teaching. More than 115 million animals are used for animal testing around the world on an annual basis. At present, in India, there are 1747 registered animal facilities for conducting experiments using animals. However, the close bond between companion, zoo and lab animals and humans is not always the sign of beneficial effects. Sometimes the welfare of these animals is compromised by distress due to many factors, mostly related to the environment and to management by humans. The purpose of this block is to make you understand the basic concepts and major welfare issues in managing these animals. UNIT 17, Welfare Issues in Pet and Companion Animals delineates the meaning and purpose of pet / companion animals, common pet / companion animals and major animal welfare issues viz., devocalization / debarking, ear cropping, tail docking, breeding of pedigree dogs, puppy farming, ear infections, obesity, older dogs, welfare of street dogs and cats and, five freedoms and responsible pet ownership. UNIT 18, Zoo Animals describes meaning and classification of zoos, common wild animals in Indian zoos, functions of zoo and establishment, maintenance and health care of zoo animals. UNIT 19, Welfare Issues in Zoo and Free Living Wild Animals delineates on why good welfare of zoo animals is important, and major welfare issues in zoo and free living wild animals. UNIT 20, Welfare Issues in Laboratory Animals describes the meaning and history of laboratory animals, the 3 R’s and lab animal veterinarians, classification of laboratory animals, important laboratory animals and major welfare issues in laboratory animals. 76 Welfare Issues in Pet and UNIT 17 WELFARE ISSUES IN PET AND Companion Animals COMPANION ANIMALS Structure 17.1 Learning Outcomes 17.2 Introduction 17.3 Meaning of Pet and Companion Animals 17.3.1 Common Pet and Companion Animals 17.3.2 Purpose of Keeping Companion Animals 17.3.3 Population of Pet and Companion Animals 17.4 Common Animal Welfare Issues in Pet / Companion Animals 17.4.1 Devocalization / Debarking 17.4.2 Ear Cropping 17.4.3 Tail Docking 17.4.4 Breeding of Pedigree Dogs 17.4.5 Puppy Farming 17.4.6 Ear Infections 17.4.7 Pet Obesity 17.4.8 Older Dogs 17.4.9 Welfare of Street Dogs and Cats 17.5 Five Freedoms and Responsible Pet Ownership 17.6 Let Us Sum Up 17.7 Keywords 17.8 Bibliography and Further Reading 17.9 Self-Assessment Exercises 17.10 Answers/Hints to Check Your Progress 17.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES a) Knowledge and Understanding: After studying this Unit, you will be able to: Understand the meaning and purpose of pet and companion animals. Correlate the relationship between five freedoms and responsible pet ownership. b) Practical and Professional Skills: After studying this Unit, you will be able to: Describe the common welfare issues in pet and companion animals. 17.2 INTRODUCTION Dear Learner, In the previous units we discussed the animal welfare issues of major farm animals (cattle and buffaloes, sheep and goat, poultry and pigs), working animals and performing animals. The other group of animals that we need to study as part of animal welfare programme are pet and companion animals. They are managed 77 Welfare Issues In Companion, by humans and are integral part of the lives of millions of families. Zoo and Lab Animals The advantages of keeping pet / companion animals include: Social and emotional support Protection Positive effects on human health Therapeutic benefits / pet therapy Physical, social, emotional, and cognitive support etc. However, the close bond between companion animals and humans is not always the sign of beneficial effects. Sometimes the welfare of pets is compromised by distress due to many factors, mostly related to the environment and to management by humans. Keeping companion animals presents a number of challenges from animal rights perspective, which are summarized in Box 17.1. Box 17.1: Companion Animals Vs Animal Rights Perspective Pet / companion animals are frequently confined against their will, and often against their interest. Breeding practices many times infringe on animal liberty. Inbreeding and breeding to produce pets in appealing shape and size (pedigree breeds) may interfere with their healthy life. Spaying and castration compromise the reproductive behavior, a rights infringement. Compromised diets, movement / roam around in a pack etc. (Source: Palmer and Sandoe,2011) Pet owners / pet parents have to realize that adopting pets implies the respect to their rights, responsibility to care for their health and welfare, avoiding undue stress in the living environment and improving the human-pet relationship (Verga and Michelazzi, 2012). Considering all these issues, this unit introduces you to the meaning and purpose of pet animals, relationship between five freedoms and responsible pet ownership and common welfare issues in pet animals. 17.3 MEANING OF PET AND COMPANION ANIMALS The word ‘Pet’ has close Scottish / French origin based on the words petty and petit, respectively. The word petit in French referred to small children and was applied to small sized companion animals. Thus they became pets. The word pet, which suggests the indulgent use of animals, is being increasingly replaced by the term ‘companion animals’. However, the term pet animal seems indispensable in conveying the relationship of intimacy between humans and selected domesticated species (Box 17.2). 78 Welfare Issues in Pet and Box 17.2: Companion Animals vs. Domestication Companion Animals A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person’s company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock or a laboratory animal. Therefore, the companion animals are domesticated or domestic-bred animals whose physical, emotional, behavioral and social needs can be readily met as companions in the home, or in close daily relationship with humans. Source: ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ) 17.3.1 Common Pet and Companion Animals Species suitable to be companion animals include (Fig. 17.1): Dogs Cats Horses Rabbits Ferrets Birds Guinea pigs and Fig. 17.1:Common pet animals Small mammals / reptiles and fish. (Source: Business Today, September 22, 2019) Domestic farm animals can also be maintained as companions. Keeping of wild animals as well as wild/domestic hybrids as pets are legally prohibited. Two of the most popular pets are dogs and cats. The technical term for a cat lover is an ailurophile and a dog lover a cynophile. 17.3.2 Purpose of Keeping Companion Animals The term companion animals refer to those animals whom human beings keep for the purposes of control, companionship, and comfort. The major purposes of keeping companion animals include: Companion animals provide both physical and emotional benefits to the caretaker’s family. Example: Taking a dog for a walk can provide both the human and the dog with exercise, fresh air and social interaction. Pets can give company / companionship to people who are living alone or elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people. There is a medically approved class of therapy animals, mostly dogs or cats that are brought to visit confined humans, such as children in hospitals or elders in nursing homes. Example: Pet therapy utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive or emotional goals with patients. Pets are also kept for protection of home or property, and for entertainment. Assistance, service and emotional support to the needing people (Box 17.3). 79 Welfare Issues In Companion, Zoo and Lab Animals Box 17.3: Use of Pets for Assistance, Service and Emotional Support Assistance Animal: Any animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Service Animal: Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Example: Assisting blind / low vision individuals with navigation and other tasks. Emotional Support Animal: An animal of any species, the use of which is supported by a qualified physician, psychiatrist or other mental health professional based on a disability-related need. Therapy Animal: A therapy animal is an integral part of the treatment process in animal assisted and goal directed treatment intervention.