A study of West Australian community on attitude towards animal welfare

Vindevoghel, Thinza (2012) A study of West Australian community on attitude towards animal welfare. Honours thesis, Murdoch University.

Abstract

Mankind has used animals for various purposes from the beginning of time such as transportation, entertainment, and notably for food. Animals used for food, particularly livestock, have been important for the survival of humans and they need to be treated with care. Studies have been conducted in the past to improve the welfare of livestock, but there is still room for improvement in how they are being handled, transported and raised. Mankind will always need to depend on livestock for their survival and it is considered reasonable that livestock have their needs provided and have freedom to behave naturally during their lifetime.

The purpose of this review is to explore the concept of animal welfare. This includes first a history of animal welfare, looking at how animal science emerged as an important field of science, how scientists developed techniques to assess animal behaviour leading to the conclusion that animals are sentient beings. Secondly, a review of animal ethics and the impact of animal-human relationships, will describe how the special bonds people develop with animals can improve welfare. In addition, a discussion of the future of animal welfare will provide suggestions on the importance of education, research and transparency in relation to animal-based food production. Finally, the topics of consumer behaviour patterns, labelling of food products, welfare monitoring schemes and government subsidies will also be reviewed.

Item Type:	Thesis (Honours)
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Supervisor(s):	Collins, Teresa and Davis, Helen
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/20097

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