Main description:

The Welfare of Animals is an exciting book that will stimulate and provoke its readers. It describes many problems faced by animals – those we use for food, for pleasure or in research, and those simply but harshly affected by shrinking habitats in the face of the ever-growing human population. And yet it is not a depressing read. It focuses not only on the difficulties that animals face, but on their capacity for free-choice, for joy and excitement, and on the possible ways in which the planet can be shared between species if only we take the time and trouble to think more carefully about the impact of our actions. Clive Phillips moved from the United Kingdom to take up a Foundation Chair in Animal Welfare at the University of Queensland, becoming Australia’s first Professor of Animal Welfare in 2003. This cultural leap, combined with his travels in countries like Malaysia and Borneo, permits him the unique and broad perspective that forms the backbone of this book. Eschewing the normal territory patrolled by the animal scientist (explaining the physiological basis of the stress response or causation of abnormal behaviour), Clive ventures into jungles and deserts, city centres and tribal homelands, and presents a book that remarkably and successfully combines travel-diary, nature notes, social and cultural history.

Feature:

Considers animal welfare from a broad, and especially humanitarian, perspective

Provides a framework for deciding on the humaneness of our treatment of animals

An international approach to animal welfare, drawing on the author’s experiences

Incorporates the author’s unique experiences with a wide range of animals

A personal journey of exploration of our interactions with animals

Back cover:

The quality of life that we provide for animals for food, companionship, sport and clothing will determine their welfare, and even the welfare of wild animals is affected by human activities. This book challenges us to reflect on that silent majority of animals with no voice. We are increasingly questioning whether our use of animals is necessary, desirable and humane, The book provides a framework to make those difficult decisions. Aspects of welfare that are important to animals are considered, as well as their rights to different welfare standards. Provision for animal welfare depends as much on culture, gender and other societal influences as any scientific advances in management systems. The influence of intensification of animal use, especially in food production, on welfare is considerable and the international scale of welfare issues with different types of animals is discussed. The author describes his experiences investigating animal welfare in a vast range of different situations, from the Bedouins slaughtering sheep in the desert to livestock being transported from Australia to the Middle East. This book will be of interest to anyone concerned with the welfare of animals, but especially veterinarians, animal owners and animal scientists.

Contents:

Acknowledgements Preface 1. DEFINITIONS AND CONCEPTS OF ANIMAL WELFARE 2. MANKIND'S RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE 3. EMPATHY TOWARDS ANIMALS 4. ANIMAL WELFARE AND ANIMAL RIGHTS 5. WELFARE ASSESSMENT 6. MANAGING ANIMAL WELFARE AND RIGHTS 7. TEACHING ANIMAL WELFARE 8. ANIMAL WELFARE SCIENCE 9. THE SCALE AND INTENSITY OF THE WORLD'S ANIMAL INDUSTRIES 10. ANIMALS IN RESEARCH 11. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN ANIMAL WELFARE References Appendix 1