- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Forensics and Politics
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
University of Winchester, Sparkford Road, Winchester, SO22 4NR
- Animal Ethics, Animal Welfare, Animals in Philosophy, Environmental Ethics, Environmental Philosophy, Political Science, and 12 morePolitical Theory, Food Policy, Animal Cognition, Philosophy Of Animals, Animal Welfare Theories, Public Health, Agriculture, Organic agriculture, Sustainable agriculture, Veterinary Ethics, Veterinary Science, and Public Policyedit
- Steven is Senior Lecturer in Human-Animal Studies and Programme Leader for the BA Animal Welfare and Society. Steven ... moreSteven is Senior Lecturer in Human-Animal Studies and Programme Leader for the BA Animal Welfare and Society. Steven teaches the Animals and Society and Research Preparation and Development modules in the MSc Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law programme, offered by the University's Centre for Animal Welfare.
Steven qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 2002 from Bristol University and holds a BA Philosophy from Birbeck College, London University. He has a PhD from the RVC, London for his thesis ‘The British animal health and welfare policy process: accounting for the interests of sentient species’.
Steven’s research is focused on the ethics and policy of animal protection. His research has argued that UK government policy excludes the interests of sentient animals. Steven proposes mandatory animal welfare impact assessment and independent ethical analysis to reform policy making to include the consideration of sentient species. His research has applied these reforms to controversial policy issues such as bovine TB and badger culling.
During 2018-2020 Steven has been writing on the impact of Brexit on animal protection. Steven’s research applies animal welfare impact assessment to Brexit. His work argues that Brexit poses substantial risks to weaken animal protection in the UK, EU an internationally.
Steven is Section Editor for Animals in Public Policy, Politics and Society for the journal Animals. He is on the editorial board for the Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics (JAGE). Steven coordinates the monthly ‘Everyday Ethics’ column in the professional veterinary journal In Practice.
Steven is a diplomat of ECAWBM and a recognised veterinary specialist in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law. He was the AWSELVA representative organising the ECAWBM/AWSELVA/ESVCE/PsiAnimal Congress in Portugal 2016.edit
Increased focus on the illegal global wildlife trade has resulted in greater numbers of live animals confiscated by authorities, increasing the need to manage these animals responsibly. Most wildlife seizures take place in Southeast Asia,... more
Increased focus on the illegal global wildlife trade has resulted in greater numbers of live animals confiscated by authorities, increasing the need to manage these animals responsibly. Most wildlife seizures take place in Southeast Asia, with global demand for live animals fuelling much of the trafficking. Guidelines for the ‘disposal’ of live specimens are provided by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), although individual Parties must implement provisions through national laws and regulations. ‘Disposal’ is the term used for the management of illegally traded wildlife upon confiscation. Confiscated live animals can be euthanised (i.e., killed), repatriated to their native country and released, or kept in captivity. This study investigates barriers to proper care and disposal of confiscated live animals in Southeast Asia, where roughly one quarter of the global multibillion dollar illegal wildlife trade takes place. Interviews were conducted with 18 professionals working within conservation, wildlife crime, and confiscated live animal management. Eight limitations to the proper care and disposal of confiscated wildlife were identified: (1) political will, (2) policy, (3) funding, (4) capacity, (5) expertise (6) attitudes and behaviours, (7) exploitation, and (8) corruption. Based on interviews, we propose seven key reforms to support the efficient and humane management of illegally traded wildlife for national authorities and CITES parties. These are wildlife seizure management, legislative support, enhanced political will, demand reduction, global participation, registry of rescue centres, and terminology change. This research highlights major barriers to the proper care and disposal of live confiscated animals and proposes key reforms to improve the conservation of threatened species and the welfare of millions of illegally traded animals.
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Simple Summary: The British people voted in 2016 to leave the European Union (EU). The UK has a unique history as a leader in animal protection policy. It has a relatively large economy and significant political power on a global basis.... more
Simple Summary: The British people voted in 2016 to leave the European Union (EU). The UK has a unique history as a leader in animal protection policy. It has a relatively large economy and significant political power on a global basis. Brexit presents both threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), EU, and internationally. This paper assesses the opportunities Brexit presents for animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, the political situation; second, regulatory changes; third, economic and trade factors; fourth, institutional considerations; and fifth, EU and international impacts. Brexit provides the opportunity to reform UK farming to promote high animal welfare outside of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Brexit means the UK can ban live animal exports and the import and sale of fur products and foie gras outside of the EU. Leaving the EU permits the UK to have stricter requirements for the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) to control puppy smuggling. Brexit provides an opportunity for the UK Government to reform policy-making for sentient animals. New sentience legislation could establish a fully independent UK Animal Welfare Advisory body and mandate Government to use animal welfare impact assessments on all policy that affects sentient species. Despite such opportunities, the UK Government appears uncommitted to major reforms. The drafting of the Agriculture Bill does not suggest a progressive animal welfare agenda. For live exports, the Government will consult on how to improve welfare, rather than outright prohibition. Similarly, rather than ban the import and sale of fur, the Government will use its influence to improve the welfare of fur-farmed animals outside the UK. Brexit provides some opportunities for animal protection. Pre-Brexit, the Government has not demonstrated the political will and commitment to realise these opportunities. Abstract: The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Brexit presents threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), the EU, and internationally. This paper discusses opportunities for animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, political context; second, regulatory changes; third, economic and trade factors; fourth, institutional-and capacity-related factors; and fifth, EU and international considerations. Brexit permits reform of UK agricultural policy outside of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to reward high welfare as a public good. The Agriculture Bill, however, does not suggest a radical reform agenda for animal welfare. Brexit permits a ban on live exports, but the UK Government is consulting on improving welfare, not prohibition. Brexit provides an opportunity to ban the import and sale of fur, but the UK Government has signalled it will work to improve welfare in fur farming. Brexit permits the UK to prohibit the import and sale of foie gras, but the Government has stated a ban may be challenged at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Brexit allows more stringent Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) requirements to reduce puppy smuggling. Lucy's Law and stricter enforcement will also mitigate the problem. New sentience legislation provides the opportunity for a fully independent and properly constituted UK Animal Welfare Advisory body conducting animal welfare impact assessments and ethical appraisal. The Government has proposed sentience legislation but there
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Simple Summary: The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union and the United Kingdom (UK) is set to leave the EU in 2019. Brexit is a major political change and it presents both threats and opportunities for... more
Simple Summary: The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union and the United Kingdom (UK) is set to leave the EU in 2019. Brexit is a major political change and it presents both threats and opportunities for animal protection. This paper assesses the threats that Brexit poses to animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, the political situation; second, regulatory changes; third, economic and trade factors; fourth, institutional considerations; and fifth, EU and international impacts. The EU has the most progressive animal welfare laws in the world. The UK Conservative Government, which is delivering Brexit, has a mixed record on animal protection. Brexit is forecast to have a negative impact on the UK economy, which is likely to negatively affect animal welfare. A major threat of Brexit is the import of meat and dairy products to the UK raised in lower welfare standards from nations such as the United States (US). The development of Brexit policy suggests there is a significant risk that this threat will materialise. Furthermore, Brexit will result in a reduced political lobby within the EU for progressive animal protection reform. Despite the UK being a progressive animal protection nation, she will have less power to exert this influence to improve animal welfare outside of the EU. Brexit poses substantial risks to weaken animal protection in the UK, EU and internationally. Further research is needed to assess the opportunities presented by Brexit to judge whether Brexit will be overall positive or negative for animal protection. Abstract: The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Brexit presents both threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), EU and internationally. This paper discusses threats to animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, political context; second, regulatory changes; third, economic and trade factors; fourth, institutional and capacity-related factors; and fifth, EU and international considerations. The EU has the most progressive animal welfare laws in the world. The Conservative Government delivering Brexit has a mixed record on animal protection. Major time and resource constraints inherent in Brexit risk negatively impacting animal protection. Brexit is projected to have a negative economic impact, which is generally associated with lower animal welfare standards. The development of Brexit policy suggests there to be a substantial risk that the major threat of importing lower welfare products to the UK will materialise. Brexit will reduce the political influence of the progressive animal protection lobby in the EU. Post-Brexit, the politically and economically weakened EU and UK risks a detrimental impact on animal protection on an international scale. Brexit poses substantial threats to animal protection, with a high risk that many threats will materialise. Further research is needed to assess the opportunities presented by Brexit to judge whether Brexit will be overall positive or negative for animal protection.
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EU animal protection laws and the UK as a member state has been substantially influenced by EU law. Brexit represents a major political change that will affect animal protection in the UK, the EU and internationally. Given the far greater... more
EU animal protection laws and the UK as a member state has been substantially influenced by EU law. Brexit represents a major political change that will affect animal protection in the UK, the EU and internationally. Given the far greater numbers of animals used in agriculture, the impact of the UK's departure from the EU on farm animals will determine whether Brexit is overall good or bad for animal protection. A major threat that Brexit poses is importing lower welfare meat and dairy products to the UK. A major opportunity post-Brexit is reform of agricultural policy to reward high animal welfare outside of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). A soft Brexit, where the UK remains aligned to the EU in policy and trade, reduces the risks Brexit poses to animal protection. A hard Brexit means major threats to animal welfare are more likely to materialise. Further research is required to investigate whether the various threats and opportunities are likely to materialise and whether Brexit will be, all things considered, good or bad for animal protection. Abstract: The British people voted to leave the European Union (EU) in a 2016 referendum. The United Kingdom (UK) has been a member of the EU since the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1993 and before that a member of the European Communities (EC) since 1973. EU animal health and welfare regulations and directives have had a major impact on UK animal protection policy. Similarly, the UK has had a substantial impact on EU animal protection. Brexit represents a substantial political upheaval for animal protection policy, with the potential to impact animal welfare in the UK, EU and internationally. Brexit's impact on farmed animals will determine the overall impact of Brexit on animals. A major threat to animal welfare is from importing lower welfare products. A major opportunity is reform of UK agricultural policy to reward high welfare outside the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). A soft Brexit, in which the UK remains in the single market and/or customs union, mitigates the threat of importing lower welfare products. A harder Brexit means threats to animal welfare are more likely to materialise. Whether threats and opportunities do materialise will depend on political considerations including decisions of key political actors. The Conservative Government delivering Brexit has a problematic relationship with animal protection. Furthermore, Brexit represents a shift to the political right, which is not associated with progressive animal protection. There is significant political support in the Conservative Party for a hard Brexit. Further research is required to investigate whether the various threats and opportunities are likely to materialise.
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Substantial controversy is a consistent feature of UK animal health and welfare policy. BSE, foot and mouth disease, bovine TB and badger culling, large indoor dairies, and wild animals in circuses are examples. Such policy issues are... more
Substantial controversy is a consistent feature of UK animal health and welfare policy. BSE, foot and mouth disease, bovine TB and badger culling, large indoor dairies, and wild animals in circuses are examples. Such policy issues are inherently normative; they include a substantial moral dimension. This paper reviews UK animal welfare advisory bodies such as the Animal Health and Welfare Board of England, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee and the Animals in Science Committee. These bodies play a key advisory role, but do not have adequate expertise in ethics to inform the moral dimension of policy. We propose an “Ethics Council for Animal Policy” to inform the UK government on policy that significantly impacts sentient species. We review existing Councils (e.g., the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and The Netherlands Council on Animal Affairs) and examine some widely used ethical frameworks (e.g., Banner’s principles and the ethical matrix). The Ethics Council for Animal Policy should be independent from government and members should have substantial expertise in ethics and related disciplines. A pluralistic six-stage ethical framework is proposed: (i) Problematisation of the policy issue, (ii) utilitarian analysis, (iii) animal rights analysis, (iv) virtue-based analysis, (v) animal welfare ethic analysis, and (vi) integrated ethical analysis. The paper concludes that an Ethics Council for Animal Policy is necessary for just and democratic policy making in all societies that use sentient nonhuman species.
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Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is a controversial animal health policy issue in England, which impacts farmers, the public, cattle and badgers. Badgers (Meles meles) act as a wildlife reservoir of disease. Policy options for badger... more
Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is a controversial animal health policy issue in England, which impacts farmers, the public, cattle and badgers. Badgers (Meles meles) act as a wildlife reservoir of disease. Policy options for badger control include (1) do nothing, (2) badger culling, and (3) badger vaccination. This paper argues for mandatory Animal Welfare Impact Assessment (AWIA) for all policy that significantly affects sentient animals. AWIA includes (1) species description, and (2) AWIA analysis stages. In this paper, AWIA is applied to impacts of bovine TB policy options on cattle and badgers. Over 4 years, 85,000 badgers will be culled to prevent the slaughter of *17,750 cattle over 9 years. Hence, about five badgers are culled for every cow which avoids slaughter. The AWIA analyses the impact of badger vaccination on cows and badgers based on a set of stated assumptions. The AWIA estimates badger vaccination to reduce the number of cows slaughtered by 11,600, i.e. a 12.5% reduction. Additional to the harm of killing, culling has greater welfare impacts on badgers compared to non-culling options. Actors in animal health and welfare policy were interviewed about the concept of AWIA. Policy actors supported the idea of AWIA to provide objective data to feed into policy making. The paper concludes with the proposal that AWIA is a necessary stage of just policy making where sentient animals are impacted by government policy.
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Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is an important and controversial animal health policy issue in England, which impacts humans, cattle and badgers. The government policy of badger culling has led to widespread opposition, in part due to... more
Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is an important and controversial animal health policy issue in England, which impacts humans, cattle and badgers. The government policy of badger culling has led to widespread opposition, in part due to the conclusions of a large field trial recommending against culling, and in part because badgers are a cherished wildlife species. Animal rights (AR) theorists argue that sentient nonhumans should be accorded fundamental rights against killing and suffering. In bovine TB policy, however, pro-culling actors claim that badgers must be culled to avoid the slaughter of cattle. The first part of the paper compares AR theories of Regan, Francione, Cochrane, Garner and Donaldson and Kymlicka in the context of wildlife species. The second part of the paper applies these AR theories to bovine TB and badger control. AR theories are applied to badger control policy options of (1) do nothing, (2) badger culling, and (3) badger vaccination. We conclude that AR theories are strongly opposed to badger culling. In general, culling is prohibited due to a badger's right to life and its rights against suffering. The AR theories support a do-nothing, i.e. non-culling, non-vaccination approach to badger control. In the case of the AR theories of Regan and Francione, this is based on abolitionist positions with respect to farming. For Cochrane, Garner, and Donaldson and Kymlicka, the do-nothing policy option is preferred because badger vaccination causes a degree of suffering which generally is not for the individual's benefit.
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Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is an important animal health policy issue in Britain, which impacts farmers, the public, domestic farmed cattle and the wild badger population. The Westminster government's badger culling policy in... more
Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is an important animal health policy issue in Britain, which impacts farmers, the public, domestic farmed cattle and the wild badger population. The Westminster government's badger culling policy in England, which began in 2013, has caused considerable controversy. This is in part because the Independent Scientific Group advised against culling, based on the Randomised Badger Culling Trial. Those opposed to badger culling support more stringent cattle-based measures and the vaccination of badgers. This paper argues for ethical analysis of public policy options which impact sentient species. It provides a summary Animal Welfare Impact Assessment of (1) a do-nothing approach, (2) badger culling, and (3) badger vaccination. A utilitarian analysis is then applied to these policy options considering human wellbeing and animal welfare. The analysis compares a badger culling policy that achieves a 19% reduction in bovine TB incidence, a badger vaccination model achieving a 12.5% reduction, and a do-nothing approach. Policy options are assessed over 9 years and a longer timeframe, and uncertainty is considered. The analysis finds that non-culling approaches, particularly badger vaccination, result in greater total utility, compared to badger culling. Badger culling causes 30% reduction in the badger population in England as well as substantial harms due to the culling process. Culling is opposed by public opinion and is associated with considerable risks and uncertainty. In contrast, non-culling approaches, such as cattle-based measures and badger vaccination, are supported by public opinion and are not associated with such risks.
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Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is the most economically important animal health policy issue in Britain. The problem of what to do about badgers has plagued successive governments since a dead badger was discovered with bovine TB in... more
Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is the most economically important animal health policy issue in Britain. The problem of what to do about badgers has plagued successive governments since a dead badger was discovered with bovine TB in 1971. Successive Labour governments (1997–2010) oversaw the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) from 1998 to 2006. Despite the RBCT recommendation against culling, the 2010–2015 Coalition government implemented pilot badger culls. This paper provides an account of the evolution of bovine TB and badger control policy, focusing on the 1997–2010 Labour, the 2010–2015 Coalition and the 2015-present Conservative governments. Interviews with bovine TB policy stakeholders supplement discussion of the development of bovine TB policy. The paper discusses the science and politics of bovine TB policy, in which there are different badger control policies in Westminster, Welsh and Scottish governments. Badger control is a highly polarised issue, and the Coalition and Conservative governments have been heavily criticised for a culling policy opposed by the independent scientific community. Recent governments have defended badger culling on the basis of veterinary advice and experience in countries such as New Zealand. The paper concludes with two key recommendations to inform controversial animal health and welfare policy issues such as bovine TB. First, mandatory Animal Welfare Impact Assessment provides objective data on the impacts of policy options on cows and badgers. Second, robust ethical analysis, conducted by independent experts using established moral frameworks, should be applied to animal health and welfare issues for the benefit of decision makers.
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Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is the most important animal health and welfare policy issue in Britain. Badgers are a wildlife reservoir of disease, although the eight-year Independent Scientific Group (ISG) Randomised Badger Culling... more
Bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) is the most important animal health and welfare policy issue in Britain. Badgers are a wildlife reservoir of disease, although the eight-year Independent Scientific Group (ISG) Randomised Badger Culling Trial concluded with a recommendation against culling. The report advised government that bovine TB could be controlled, and ultimately eradicated, by cattle-based measures alone. Despite the ISG recommendation against culling, the farming and veterinary industries continued to lobby government for a badger cull. The 2005–2010 Labour government followed the ISG advice and decided against a cull. The 2010–2015 Coalition and the 2015-present Conservative governments have followed a badger culling policy. This paper investigates whether a virtuous government would cull badgers. It provides an overview of virtue theory in the context of government animal health and welfare policy. Bovine TB and badger control policy options are then analysed in the context of the virtues of justice, wisdom, integrity, loyalty, curiosity, trust, empathy, compassion and aesthetics. Justice is the first virtue of government, and badger culling is seriously problematic from a virtue perspective given that five badgers are culled per cow that avoids slaughter as a result. Analysis based on other virtues strongly suggests that government should not cull badgers. The paper concludes that a virtuous government would not cull badgers as part of policy to control bovine TB in cattle.
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Cultural differences in students' attitudes towards animals need to be better understood and respected in order to promote tolerance in multicultural biological education. A cross-cultural study was conducted to investigate the... more
Cultural differences in students' attitudes towards animals need to be better understood and respected in order to promote tolerance in multicultural biological education. A cross-cultural study was conducted to investigate the beliefs of 425 students of different nationalities on ...
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The Brambell Report of 1965 recommended that animals should have the freedom to stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) developed these into the Five Freedoms,... more
The Brambell Report of 1965 recommended that animals should have the freedom to stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) developed these into the Five Freedoms, which are a framework for the analysis of animal welfare. The Five Freedoms are well known in farming, policy making and academic circles. They form the basis of much animal welfare legislation, codes of recommendations and farm animal welfare accreditation schemes, and are the foundation of the Welfare Quality® assessment scheme. The Five Freedoms are also extensively employed for the education of veterinary and animal welfare science students. Hence they have proven to be of great practical utility. In this paper, the Five Freedoms framework is examined in terms of necessary and sufficient conditions for the analysis of animal welfare. Overall, the Five Freedoms are judged to be individually necessary and jointly sufficient as a framework for the analysis of animal welfare. FAWC has recently criticized the Five Freedoms for concentrating on negative aspects of welfare. However, it is shown here how the satisfaction of the Five Freedoms should lead to good welfare, from the animal’s point of view. The Five Freedoms are formulated as ideals of animal welfare. This has significant advantages that have likely contributed to their impact. However, the ideality of the Five Freedoms means that the framework is without power to determine what a satisfactory level of animal welfare is, in an ethical sense.
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There have been substantial productivity gains in livestock farming during the last 50 years. Pigs and poultry now grow more quickly and efficiently than ever before. Since 1940, the average dairy cow in the USA has tripled its annual... more
There have been substantial productivity gains in livestock farming during the last 50 years. Pigs and poultry now grow more quickly and efficiently than ever before. Since 1940, the average dairy cow in the USA has tripled its annual milk production to around 15,000 litres a year. There has been a concomitant reduction in the number of cows by two thirds, and the aggregate level of food consumption and manure production per litre of milk has decreased (Roberts, 2000). Veterinarians have, on the whole, supported the intensification of livestock farming to increase productivity. Despite this, intensive farming methods have been associated with a range of welfare problems for farm animals. The global human population is projected to increase to 9 billion by 2050, with demand for meat products forecast to double by that time (FAO, 2015). In a world of continuing population growth should veterinarians continue to support the intensification of livestock production?
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"In the second half of the twentieth century, agricultural production in the UK intensified, first for food security and then for economic reasons. Since the 1960s and 1970s, both animal welfare and environmental advocates have... more
"In the second half of the twentieth century, agricultural production in the UK
intensified, first for food security and then for economic reasons. Since the 1960s and
1970s, both animal welfare and environmental advocates have criticised intensive systems
of agriculture. Intensive livestock farming methods translate to confinement, high
stocking densities and rapid growth rates, which can cause poor welfare. Campaigning
organisations have successfully lobbied the government for improved animal protection
legislation. Also, British society increasingly demonstrates preference for food
from animals reared compassionately in a sustainable way. Agriculture may contribute
up to 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and it is the largest contributor
by industrial sector. GHG emissions contribute to global warming, which may cause
droughts, flooding, lower agricultural yields and the extinction of species. Further, the
human population is set to reach 9 billion by 2050, meaning a greater demand for
food, water and energy. In response to John Beddington ’ s perfect storm scenario,
‘ sustainable intensification’ has been recommended. However, livestock intensification
can be detrimental to animal welfare, which is ethically unacceptable. In contrast, this
paper defends ‘radical naturalism’, a position which argues for more fundamental
changes of human activities. In particular, the growing human population and increasing
and excessive meat consumption must be addressed. Philosophically, sustainable
intensificationism and radical naturalism may be based on different conceptions of
human nature. Sustainable intensifiers have faith in scientific progress, hold an anthropocentric
worldview and see humankind as rightful master of the world. Radical
naturalists are more sceptical about science and technology, have a biocentric worldview
and see humankind as steward, and not master, of the natural world."
intensified, first for food security and then for economic reasons. Since the 1960s and
1970s, both animal welfare and environmental advocates have criticised intensive systems
of agriculture. Intensive livestock farming methods translate to confinement, high
stocking densities and rapid growth rates, which can cause poor welfare. Campaigning
organisations have successfully lobbied the government for improved animal protection
legislation. Also, British society increasingly demonstrates preference for food
from animals reared compassionately in a sustainable way. Agriculture may contribute
up to 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and it is the largest contributor
by industrial sector. GHG emissions contribute to global warming, which may cause
droughts, flooding, lower agricultural yields and the extinction of species. Further, the
human population is set to reach 9 billion by 2050, meaning a greater demand for
food, water and energy. In response to John Beddington ’ s perfect storm scenario,
‘ sustainable intensification’ has been recommended. However, livestock intensification
can be detrimental to animal welfare, which is ethically unacceptable. In contrast, this
paper defends ‘radical naturalism’, a position which argues for more fundamental
changes of human activities. In particular, the growing human population and increasing
and excessive meat consumption must be addressed. Philosophically, sustainable
intensificationism and radical naturalism may be based on different conceptions of
human nature. Sustainable intensifiers have faith in scientific progress, hold an anthropocentric
worldview and see humankind as rightful master of the world. Radical
naturalists are more sceptical about science and technology, have a biocentric worldview
and see humankind as steward, and not master, of the natural world."
Research Interests:
You are a veterinarian working in a 24-hour intensive care facility. One of your patients, a 17-year-old Maltese terrier called Teddy, is suffering from multiple diseases including poorly controlled diabetes mellitus,... more
You are a veterinarian working in a 24-hour intensive care facility. One of your patients, a 17-year-old Maltese terrier called Teddy, is suffering from multiple diseases including poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, hyperadrenocorticism, benign prostatic hyperplasia, severe (grade 4/4 periodontal disease), severe degenerative joint disease and bilateral cruciate disease. Despite intensive care Teddy remains completely anorexic, and does not move voluntarily. Euthanasia has been recommended on the grounds that he has no quality of life and cannot reasonably be kept alive outside of the hospital environment where analgesia, intravenous fluids and partial parenteral nutrition are administered.
Mr and Mrs Johnson decline euthanasia because they hope that Teddy will die “naturally”. What do you do?
AND
You are a veterinary student on an externship in Thailand with two other students. The veterinarian in charge of the animal welfare organisation you are working for is Buddhist and does not believe in euthanasia. You are asked to draw up a treatment plan for an entire male dog with large, ulcerated, infected tumours on the genitals, probably transmissible venereal tumour.
This condition can be treated with chemotherapy but this is not available. The dog is emaciated and in extreme pain. You and your fellow students agree that euthanasia is the most humane option but the veterinarian says that it is not an option. What do you do?
Mr and Mrs Johnson decline euthanasia because they hope that Teddy will die “naturally”. What do you do?
AND
You are a veterinary student on an externship in Thailand with two other students. The veterinarian in charge of the animal welfare organisation you are working for is Buddhist and does not believe in euthanasia. You are asked to draw up a treatment plan for an entire male dog with large, ulcerated, infected tumours on the genitals, probably transmissible venereal tumour.
This condition can be treated with chemotherapy but this is not available. The dog is emaciated and in extreme pain. You and your fellow students agree that euthanasia is the most humane option but the veterinarian says that it is not an option. What do you do?
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You are a new graduate in your second week of work in a 3 vet mixed practice. During your first week you were well supported in both consultations and small amounts of surgery. Today you are due to be doing more operating alongside the... more
You are a new graduate in your second week of work in a 3 vet mixed practice. During your first week you were well supported in both consultations and small amounts of surgery. Today you are due to be doing more operating alongside the practice principal. Bella, a 2 year old Golden Retriever has been booked in for a spay and you feel a little nervous about doing it. Just through chance, you ended up only doing one bitch spay during your neutering rotation in final year. Before the clinic is open your practice principal is called to an emergency away from the practice and will be gone all morning.
When you admit Bella how much information about your neutering experience and likely supervision should you give so the owner can give their informed consent?
AND
Admitting an animal overnight when it won’t be checked through the night- should you tell owners? Many owners assume someone is sitting up with their animal- as they would be if it was at home….
When you admit Bella how much information about your neutering experience and likely supervision should you give so the owner can give their informed consent?
AND
Admitting an animal overnight when it won’t be checked through the night- should you tell owners? Many owners assume someone is sitting up with their animal- as they would be if it was at home….
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Marius the giraffe was killed by Copenhagen Zoo in 2014. Marius was judged to be surplus to requirements based on the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). After being killed, zoo keepers dissected Marius for the benefit of the... more
Marius the giraffe was killed by Copenhagen Zoo in 2014. Marius was judged to be surplus to requirements based on the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). After being killed, zoo keepers dissected Marius for the benefit of the viewing public and fed his remains to the lions kept at the zoo. The killing of Marius caused considerable controversy and the story was extensively reported by the international media. A number of zoos, conservation organisations and ecologists made statements either supporting or opposing the act. How should zoo veterinarians advise zoos on policies for captive animals like Marius that are deemed surplus to requirements?
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A client you do not know well rings out of normal working hours requesting euthanasia of their small dog, Pepper. As the nurse on call you go to assist in this task. The euthanasia is straight-forward and you lock up again after the... more
A client you do not know well rings out of normal working hours requesting euthanasia of their small dog, Pepper. As the nurse on call you go to assist in this task. The euthanasia is straight-forward and you lock up again after the clients leave. There’s just the tidying up and dealing with the body to do before you can both go home. Suddenly you hear a high pitched comedy voice singing ‘Look at me, I’m Sandra-Dee…..’ As you turn you see the head of the dead dog peeking round the corner of the consulting room swaying and miming to the song.
Are the veterinary surgeon’s antics morally permissible, and is it acceptable for the nurse to laugh at the vet’s antics?
Are the veterinary surgeon’s antics morally permissible, and is it acceptable for the nurse to laugh at the vet’s antics?
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With the general election taking place on 8 June, Dr Steven McCulloch, Lecturer in Human-Animal Studies based in the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University, looks at the policies related to animal welfare set out in the political... more
With the general election taking place on 8 June, Dr Steven McCulloch, Lecturer in Human-Animal Studies based in the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University, looks at the policies related to animal welfare set out in the political parties’ manifestos.
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David Slater, a British wildlife photographer, travelled to Sulawesi in Indonesia to take pictures of the island’s crested black macaque population in 2011. Slater wanted to capture images of the macaques in a bid to publicise their... more
David Slater, a British wildlife photographer, travelled to Sulawesi in Indonesia to take pictures of the island’s crested black macaque population in 2011. Slater wanted to capture images of the macaques in a bid to publicise their plight. The Macaca nigra is critically endangered and fighting for its survival; the macaque population has plummeted by 90 per cent during the last 25 years. The macaque’s habitat has been destroyed by human encroachment and the monkeys are killed as pests for raiding crops of local farmers. They are hunted as bushmeat and trapped to keep shackled as pets. This is all despite the Macaca nigra being a protected species.
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As Parliament prepares to debate animal welfare issues this week, Dr Steve McCulloch, Acting Director of the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester argues that the government must amend the EU Withdrawal Bill to include... more
As Parliament prepares to debate animal welfare issues this week, Dr Steve McCulloch, Acting Director of the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester argues that the government must amend the EU Withdrawal Bill to include the formal recognition that animals such as dogs, cats, pigs, cows and chickens are sentient and renew its pledge to pay full regard to their welfare requirements.
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The Conservative Party has been striving to modernise and reach out to a younger electorate. In this context, jettisoning Article 13 of the Treaty of Lisbon would be an own goal of epic proportions. In a plea to broaden her parties... more
The Conservative Party has been striving to modernise and reach out to a younger electorate. In this context, jettisoning Article 13 of the Treaty of Lisbon would be an own goal of epic proportions. In a plea to broaden her parties appeal, Theresa May has referred to the criticism that the Tories are sometimes called the ‘nasty party’. What rational political party wants to be associated with dropping the basic recognition that nonhuman animals are sentient, and the consequent downgrading of animal welfare en masse? Eliminating the legal recognition of the most powerless in society, including over a billion sentient farm animals, provides nuclear fuel to such criticism from the political left. Many millions of voters will simply fail to see how a compassionate political party can vote down Article 13, which is a statement in law that the most powerless matter.
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Dr Steven McCulloch, Acting Director of the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester, reports on a public lecture at the University by International Fund for Animal Welfare UK (IFAW UK) Director Philip Mansbridge. IFAW UK... more
Dr Steven McCulloch, Acting Director of the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester, reports on a public lecture at the University by International Fund for Animal Welfare UK (IFAW UK) Director Philip Mansbridge. IFAW UK is a partner organisation of the Centre for Animal Welfare. In this post, Dr McCulloch discusses the history and campaigning areas of IFAW.
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Dr Steven McCulloch, Acting Director of the Centre for Animal Welfare, reports on a public lecture hosted at the University of Winchester and given by Philip Mansbridge, Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare UK (IFAW UK) .... more
Dr Steven McCulloch, Acting Director of the Centre for Animal Welfare, reports on a public lecture hosted at the University of Winchester and given by Philip Mansbridge, Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare UK (IFAW UK) . IFAW UK is a partner organisation of the Centre for Animal Welfare. An earlier post discussed the history and campaigning of IFW. In this post, Dr McCulloch discusses the IFAW tenBoma anti=poaching revolution.
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The dawning reality of Brexit means that we live in interesting times. By extension, the sentient animals that we share our island of Great Britain also live in interesting times. Much ink has been spilled since the British people voted... more
The dawning reality of Brexit means that we live in interesting times. By extension, the sentient animals that we share our island of Great Britain also live in interesting times. Much ink has been spilled since the British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the EU. Brexiteers claim that leaving the EU will release our beloved nation from the chains of EU bureaucracy; Parliament will be sovereign once more and free to make laws for the good of British people. Remainers, in contrast, argue that Brexit will lead to national isolation, economic depression and endless waiting in European airports.
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Through re-shaping animal welfare policy in light of Brexit, the government has an historic opportunity not only to preserve the UK’s position as a global leader in this area, but also to give the Conservatives a name as a progressive... more
Through re-shaping animal welfare policy in light of Brexit, the government has an historic opportunity not only to preserve the UK’s position as a global leader in this area, but also to give the Conservatives a name as a progressive party, writes Steven McCulloch. He explains how the government ought to navigate the matter.
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Great Britain has a proud history of animal protection. UK animal welfare institutions and laws have been emulated throughout the world. As a member of the EU, the UK has used its economic and political clout to ban veal crates, barren... more
Great Britain has a proud history of animal protection. UK animal welfare institutions and laws have been emulated throughout the world. As a member of the EU, the UK has used its economic and political clout to ban veal crates, barren battery cages and regulate sow stalls across a market of 510 million people. Parliament should reject Brexit and call for a People’s Vote for animals, writes Steven McCulloch (Winchester).
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In 2017 there was a media spat after Conservative MPs rejected an unusual amendment put forward by the Green MP Caroline Lucas. This amendment stated that the UK government would continue to recognise animals as sentient after leaving the... more
In 2017 there was a media spat after Conservative MPs rejected an unusual amendment put forward by the Green MP Caroline Lucas. This amendment stated that the UK government would continue to recognise animals as sentient after leaving the EU. When the government eventually published its draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill, it recognised animals as sentient beings.
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Leaving the EU is the defining feature of the 2019 general election and Brexit poses both threats and opportunities for animal welfare. Threats include importing lower welfare products from the US — such as chlorinated chicken and hormone... more
Leaving the EU is the defining feature of the 2019 general election and Brexit poses both threats and opportunities for animal welfare. Threats include importing lower welfare products from the US — such as chlorinated chicken and hormone beef. The UK has led animal welfare reform in the EU. It has lobbied for the prohibition of veal crates, barren battery cages, and sow stalls. UK influence in the EU has led to bans on these extremes of factory farming. Brexit means the UK losing this influence on an EU market of 510 million consumers and five billion farmed animals.
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The Animal Health and Welfare Board of England demonstrates the capture of animal welfare regulation by the farming industry
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The United Kingdom has long been a leader for animal welfare and rights, passing the world’s first major animal protection law in 1822. “The UK played a leading role in development of EU laws protecting animals on the farm, at transport... more
The United Kingdom has long been a leader for animal welfare and rights, passing the world’s first major animal protection law in 1822. “The UK played a leading role in development of EU laws protecting animals on the farm, at transport and slaughter,” explains Steven McCulloch, a veterinary surgeon and veterinary specialist in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law. “Ultimately, the UK leveraged its economic and political influence to reform animal welfare across an EU that eventually became 28 member states with 510 million consumers.” With Brexit, the United Kingdom hopes to forge its own trade agreements, and McCulloch envisions two possible Brexit scenarios: The UK, held back as an EU member on progressive animal welfare reforms, could continue its global leadership role on animal rights. Or, in pursuing trade deals, the UK could fall into line with troubling low US standards. He concludes, “Importing US agri-foods would cause a race to the bottom in economic terms.” Protections could crumble worldwide with consequences for billions of animals. – YaleGlobal
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The Conservative Government must write its manifesto commitment to protect British food standards into law. Anything less will be at best a major risk to food safety, the environment and animal welfare. At worst, it will be a betrayal of... more
The Conservative Government must write its manifesto commitment to protect British food standards into law. Anything less will be at best a major risk to food safety, the environment and animal welfare. At worst, it will be a betrayal of British farmers, voters and millions of sentient farmed animals. The government’s strategy, outlined by DEFRA minister Victoria Prentis in Parliament on 12th October, falls way short. This article explains why, with a focus on food safety and animal welfare.
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The debate on the Agriculture Bill and food standards must be viewed in the broader political and economic context of Brexit and the UK’s place in the world going forward. Brexit means the UK will have its own trade policy for the first... more
The debate on the Agriculture Bill and food standards must be viewed in the broader political and economic context of Brexit and the UK’s place in the world going forward. Brexit means the UK will have its own trade policy for the first time in half a century. The Agriculture Bill 2019-2021 is the first major piece of legislation since the UK Agriculture Act in 1947. The importance of the Agriculture Bill, and of getting it right, cannot be overstated. When passed through Parliament, the Act will have a major influence on British food and farming policy for a generation. This is just as the UK 1947 Agriculture Act did before it.
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In 2012, the RCVS introduced a new Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, replacing the Guide to Professional Conduct which had existed until then. Is a common Code relevant for the veterinarian’s many roles? There’s more... more
In 2012, the RCVS introduced a new Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, replacing the Guide to Professional Conduct which had existed until then. Is a common Code relevant for the veterinarian’s many roles? There’s more to think about here than just the change of name, write Steven McCulloch, Michael Reiss, Peter Jinman and Christopher Wathes
Research Interests: Veterinary Medicine, Bioethics, Professionalism, Animal Ethics, Medical Ethics, and 9 moreAnimal Welfare, Veterinary Science, Medical Education: Professionalism, Ethics and Communications, Practical Ethics, History of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Ethics, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Professional Ethics, and Code of Ethics
Brexit, trade deals and sentient beings
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Research Interests: Animal Ethics, Agricultural Policy, Agricultural Economics, Environmental Ethics, Productivity, and 10 moreFood Production, Animal Welfare, Environmental Sustainability, Farm Animal Welfare, Climate change and human health, Veterinary Ethics, Agricultural Ethics, Climate change and sustainable food production, Social aspects of food production and ecological farming systems, and Intensive farming
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British government policy that impacts animals is highly controversial and characterised by substantial public concern. The BSE scandal, the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease crisis and live animal exports are examples. The British public is... more
British government policy that impacts animals is highly controversial and characterised by substantial public concern. The BSE scandal, the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease crisis and live animal exports are examples. The British public is concerned because policy impacts animals that are sentient. The EU Treaty of Lisbon recognises animal sentience, and member states must ‘pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals’. Defra is responsible for most animal health and welfare policy in England. The thesis constructs a normative framework of analysis to assess Defra policy making. The thesis finds structural, resource and process factors that combine to exclude sentient animals from the policy process. In general, policy making does not account for the intrinsic value of sentient animals. In the appraisal of policy options, conducted as an economic cost-benefit analysis, animals’ interests are subsumed under human interests. British policy making is influenced by pervasive reductionist ideologies of positivism and economism. The policy process is created by humans, for humans, and sentient nonhumans are largely excluded. The thesis proposes two key reforms to policy making: i) Animal Welfare Impact Assessment (AWIA), and ii) an Ethics Council for Animal Policy (ECAP). The AWIA is used to appraise potential impacts of policy options on sentient animals. The ECAP is a Council of experts to inform government on public policy impacting animals. The thesis applies AWIA and ethical appraisal to the policy issues of wild animals in circuses, bovine TB and badger culling and large indoor dairies (LDUs). The analyses conclude with the following recommendations: i) prohibition of the use of wild animals in circuses, ii) badger culling is morally problematic and non-culling approaches are superior, and iii) regulation against LDUs for welfare and non-welfare reasons.
Research Interests: Animal Ethics, Political Science, Environmental Impact Assessment, Conservation theory and ethics, Social Impact Assessment, and 8 moreFood Security, Wildlife Management, Bovine Tuberculosis, Veterinary Ethics, Agricultural Ethics, Political Science and public administration, Philosophy and Sociology of Human/animal Relations, and Farming Dairy
NINE excellent Everyday Ethics articles have been published in 2016. They have been written by veterinarians working in practice and in academia, not only in the UK but also in Ireland, Norway and Hong Kong. All of them concerned small... more
NINE excellent Everyday Ethics articles have been published in 2016. They have been written by veterinarians working in practice and in academia, not only in the UK but also in Ireland, Norway and Hong Kong. All of them concerned small animal practice, with the exception of a contribution on tendon firing in horses. There was good participation in online polls, with over 100 responses in some cases. The Everyday Ethics section gives readers the opportunity to respond to articles, and a number of readers used this to contest the analysis in the preceding issue. This article summarises contributions in 2016, including the results of online polls.
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Steven McCulloch, European veterinary specialist in animal welfare science, ethics and law, argues that the veterinary profession must support animal rights, but not the abolition of animal use.
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The Netherlands and Belgium are European Union (EU) states with a shared border and cultural similarities. Article 13 of the EU Treaty of Lisbon recognises animals as sentient beings. EU laws protect animal welfare and conservation, and... more
The Netherlands and Belgium are European Union (EU) states with a shared border and cultural similarities. Article 13 of the EU Treaty of Lisbon recognises animals as sentient beings. EU laws protect animal welfare and conservation, and member states can implement more stringent legislation. Political salience refers to the extent to which citizens are concerned about political issues. Issue salience can be measured by assessing references to animal protection in party political manifestos. This research analyses the political salience of animal protection in the Netherlands and Belgium. It analyses over 2600 statements on animal protection in Dutch (2012–2021) and Belgian (2010–2019) party manifestos across three consecutive national elections. Quantitative analysis reveals that in both the Netherlands and Belgium, animal protection became more salient during successive elections, with the total number of positive statements increasing and the total number of negative statements de...
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Great Britain has a proud history of animal protection. UK animal welfare institutions and laws have been emulated throughout the world. As a member of the EU, the UK has used its economic and political clout to ban veal crates, barren... more
Great Britain has a proud history of animal protection. UK animal welfare institutions and laws have been emulated throughout the world. As a member of the EU, the UK has used its economic and political clout to ban veal crates, barren battery cages and regulate sow stalls across a market of 510 million people. Parliament should reject Brexit and call for a People’s Vote for animals, writes Steven McCulloch (Winchester).
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Yoga is a spiritual discipline originating from ancient India. Most notably, yoga has links with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. This research explores UK yoga teachers’ attitudes toward plant-based diets and beliefs about the moral... more
Yoga is a spiritual discipline originating from ancient India. Most notably, yoga has links with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. This research explores UK yoga teachers’ attitudes toward plant-based diets and beliefs about the moral status of farmed animals. It uses qualitative interviews as the second phase of a mixed-methodology study. In the first phase, an online questionnaire found that over two thirds of UK yoga teachers believed a plant-based diet was most aligned with their yoga practice due to the teaching of ahimsa, or non-harm. Nevertheless, over 70 % were not following a plant-based diet. Interviews revealed this dissonance was related to views about the necessity of consuming animal products for health, especially when pregnant, breastfeeding, or nourishing growing children. The communal nature of eating also meant that family moderated dietary ideals. Interviews further revealed an alternative conception of ahimsa, permitting the consumption of animals in order to pri...
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Around 100 million animals are killed annually for the global fur trade, with 85% reared on fur farms and 15% trapped in the wild. Fur farming is banned across the United Kingdom (UK) under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 in... more
Around 100 million animals are killed annually for the global fur trade, with 85% reared on fur farms and 15% trapped in the wild. Fur farming is banned across the United Kingdom (UK) under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 in England and Wales and parallel legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Despite the farming bans, the import and sale of fur products to the UK have continued, largely due to European Union (EU) membership. The UK left the EU in 2020 and the British government is exploring a potential ban on the import and sale of fur post-Brexit. This paper reviews public surveys on attitudes to fur farming in the UK from 1997 to 2021. It then reports the results of an online questionnaire to investigate in greater depth the beliefs of UK residents (n = 326) about the welfare of animals used in fur production, knowledge of the legal context of the fur trade and attitudes toward a ban on the import and sale of fur in the UK. A large majority (86%) of respondents beli...
Research Interests: Agriculture, European Union, Animal Welfare, Medicine, Legislation, and 3 moreAnimals, Fur Trade, and Brexit
In the second half of the twentieth century, agricultural production in the UK intensified, driven first by food security and then economics. Since the 1960s and 1970s both animal welfare and environmental advocates have criticised... more
In the second half of the twentieth century, agricultural production in the UK intensified, driven first by food security and then economics. Since the 1960s and 1970s both animal welfare and environmental advocates have criticised intensive agriculture. Intensive livestock means confinement, high stocking densities and rapid growth rates, often causing animal suffering. European society demonstrates preference for food from animals reared compassionately in a sustainable way. Livestock agriculture causes 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. Furthermore, the human population is set to reach 9 billion by 2050, meaning greater demand for food, water and energy. In response a UK Government-commissioned report has recommended ‘sustainable intensification’ of agriculture as a central policy initiative. However, livestock agriculture is a major cause of global warming and intensification might in fact lead to an increase in emissions. This paper proposes an alternative position, holistic integrative naturalism, which argues for more fundamental change in policy prescriptions. These include addressing underlying fundamentals including population growth, excessive consumption of animal products, and economic policy. Philosophically, the ideas of sustainable intensification and holistic naturalism may be based on different conceptions of human nature. Sustainable intensifiers have faith in scientific progress, hold an anthropocentric worldview and see humankind as rightful master of the world. Holistic naturalists are sceptical about science and technology, hold a more biocentric worldview and see humankind as steward of the natural world.
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Increased focus on the illegal global wildlife trade has resulted in greater numbers of live animals confiscated by authorities, increasing the need to manage these animals responsibly. Most wildlife seizures take place in Southeast Asia,... more
Increased focus on the illegal global wildlife trade has resulted in greater numbers of live animals confiscated by authorities, increasing the need to manage these animals responsibly. Most wildlife seizures take place in Southeast Asia, with global demand for live animals fuelling much of the trafficking. Guidelines for the ‘disposal’ of live specimens are provided by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), although individual Parties must implement provisions through national laws and regulations. ‘Disposal’ is the term used for the management of illegally traded wildlife upon confiscation. Confiscated live animals can be euthanised (i.e., killed), repatriated to their native country and released, or kept in captivity. This study investigates barriers to proper care and disposal of confiscated live animals in Southeast Asia, where roughly one quarter of the global multibillion dollar illegal wildlife trade takes place. Inte...
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Substantial controversy is a consistent feature of UK animal health and welfare policy. BSE, foot and mouth disease, bovine TB and badger culling, large indoor dairies, and wild animals in circuses are examples. Such policy issues are... more
Substantial controversy is a consistent feature of UK animal health and welfare policy. BSE, foot and mouth disease, bovine TB and badger culling, large indoor dairies, and wild animals in circuses are examples. Such policy issues are inherently normative; they include a substantial moral dimension. This paper reviews UK animal welfare advisory bodies such as the Animal Health and Welfare Board of England, the Farm Animal Welfare Council and the Animals in Science Committee. These bodies play a key advisory role, but do not have adequate expertise in ethics to inform the moral dimension of policy. We propose an "Ethics Council for Animal Policy" to inform the UK government on policy that significantly impacts sentient species. We review existing Councils (e.g., the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and The Netherlands Council on Animal Affairs) and examine some widely used ethical frameworks (e.g., Banner's principles and the ethical matrix). The Ethics Council for Animal ...
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ABSTRACT The Brambell Report of 1965 recommended that animals should have the freedom to stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) developed these into the Five... more
ABSTRACT The Brambell Report of 1965 recommended that animals should have the freedom to stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) developed these into the Five Freedoms, which are a framework for the analysis of animal welfare. The Five Freedoms are well known in farming, policy making and academic circles. They form the basis of much animal welfare legislation, codes of recommendations and farm animal welfare accreditation schemes, and are the foundation of the Welfare Quality® assessment scheme. The Five Freedoms are also extensively employed for the education of veterinary and animal welfare science students. Hence they have proven to be of great practical utility. In this paper, the Five Freedoms framework is examined in terms of necessary and sufficient conditions for the analysis of animal welfare. Overall, the Five Freedoms are judged to be individually necessary and jointly sufficient as a framework for the analysis of animal welfare. FAWC has recently criticized the Five Freedoms for concentrating on negative aspects of welfare. However, it is shown here how the satisfaction of the Five Freedoms should lead to good welfare, from the animal’s point of view. The Five Freedoms are formulated as ideals of animal welfare. This has significant advantages that have likely contributed to their impact. However, the ideality of the Five Freedoms means that the framework is without power to determine what a satisfactory level of animal welfare is, in an ethical sense.
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In 2012, the RCVS introduced a new Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, replacing the Guide to Professional Conduct which had existed until then. Is a common Code relevant for the... more
In 2012, the RCVS introduced a new Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons, replacing the Guide to Professional Conduct which had existed until then. Is a common Code relevant for the veterinarian's many roles? There's more to think about here than just the change of name, write Steven McCulloch, Michael Reiss, Peter Jinman and Christopher Wathes.
Research Interests: Veterinary Medicine, Bioethics, Professionalism, Animal Ethics, Medical Ethics, and 15 moreAnimal Welfare, Medicine, Humans, Code of Conduct, Practical Ethics, History of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Ethics, Great Britain, Codes of Ethics, Societies, Codes of Professional Ethics, Code of Ethics, Professional conduct, Ethical Code, and Professional Role
Through re-shaping animal welfare policy in light of Brexit, the government has an historic opportunity not only to preserve the UK's position as a global leader in this area, but also to give the Conservatives a name as a progressive... more
Through re-shaping animal welfare policy in light of Brexit, the government has an historic opportunity not only to preserve the UK's position as a global leader in this area, but also to give the Conservatives a name as a progressive party, writes Steven McCulloch. He explains how the government ought to navigate the matter.
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Around 100 million animals are killed annually for the global fur trade, with 85% reared on fur farms and 15% trapped in the wild. Fur farming is banned across the United Kingdom (UK) under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 in... more
Around 100 million animals are killed annually for the global fur trade, with 85% reared on fur farms and 15% trapped in the wild. Fur farming is banned across the United Kingdom (UK) under the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 in England and Wales and parallel legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Despite the farming bans, the import and sale of fur products to the UK have continued, largely due to European Union (EU) membership. The UK left the EU in 2020 and the British government is exploring a potential ban on the import and sale of fur post-Brexit. This paper reviews public surveys on attitudes to fur farming in the UK from 1997 to 2021. It then reports the results of an online questionnaire to investigate in greater depth the beliefs of UK residents (n = 326) about the welfare of animals used in fur production, knowledge of the legal context of the fur trade and attitudes toward a ban on the import and sale of fur in the UK. A large majority (86%) of respondents beli...
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Yoga is a holistic discipline originating in ancient India. Yoga has links with Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism based on a shared philosophical framework of unity with all beings and belief in ahimsa, meaning non-harming. There is debate... more
Yoga is a holistic discipline originating in ancient India. Yoga has links with Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism based on a shared philosophical framework of unity with all beings and belief in ahimsa, meaning non-harming. There is debate in the international yoga community about the spiritual, ethical and health-related links between yoga and plant-based diets. This mixed methodology research investigates the beliefs about the moral status of farmed animals and attitudes towards plant-based diets of UK yoga teachers. A sequential mixed-methods design employing a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews is used. This paper focuses on the questionnaire-based phase of the research. Key results are: (i) UK yoga teachers have very progressive beliefs about the moral status of farmed animals; (ii) 29.6% of UK yoga teachers follow a plant-based diet (n = 446), which is 25-fold the proportion in the wider UK population; (iii) 73.9% desire to follow a plant-based diet; (iv) 68.6% regard p...
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The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Brexit presents both threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), EU and internationally. This paper discusses threats to animal... more
The British people voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Brexit presents both threats and opportunities to animal protection in the United Kingdom (UK), EU and internationally. This paper discusses threats to animal protection in terms of five criteria. These are first, political context; second, regulatory changes; third, economic and trade factors; fourth, institutional and capacity-related factors; and fifth, EU and international considerations. The EU has the most progressive animal welfare laws in the world. The Conservative Government delivering Brexit has a mixed record on animal protection. Major time and resource constraints inherent in Brexit risk negatively impacting animal protection. Brexit is projected to have a negative economic impact, which is generally associated with lower animal welfare standards. The development of Brexit policy suggests there to be a substantial risk that the major threat of importing lower welfare products to the UK will...
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The British people voted to leave the European Union (EU) in a 2016 referendum. The United Kingdom (UK) has been a member of the EU since the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1993 and before that a member of the European Communities (EC)... more
The British people voted to leave the European Union (EU) in a 2016 referendum. The United Kingdom (UK) has been a member of the EU since the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1993 and before that a member of the European Communities (EC) since 1973. EU animal health and welfare regulations and directives have had a major impact on UK animal protection policy. Similarly, the UK has had a substantial impact on EU animal protection. Brexit represents a substantial political upheaval for animal protection policy, with the potential to impact animal welfare in the UK, EU and internationally. Brexit’s impact on farmed animals will determine the overall impact of Brexit on animals. A major threat to animal welfare is from importing lower welfare products. A major opportunity is reform of UK agricultural policy to reward high welfare outside the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). A soft Brexit, in which the UK remains in the single market and/or customs union, mitigates the threat of importin...
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Marius the giraffe was killed by Copenhagen Zoo in 2014. Marius was judged to be surplus to requirements based on the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). After being killed, zoo keepers dissected Marius for the benefit of the... more
Marius the giraffe was killed by Copenhagen Zoo in 2014. Marius was judged to be surplus to requirements based on the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). After being killed, zoo keepers dissected Marius for the benefit of the viewing public and fed his remains to the lions kept at the zoo. The killing of Marius caused considerable controversy and the story was extensively reported by the international media. A number of zoos, conservation organisations and ecologists made statements either supporting or opposing the act. How should zoo veterinarians advise zoos on policies for captive animals like Marius that are deemed surplus to requirements?