100-683: The League Against Cruel Sports , formerly known as the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports , is a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to stop blood sports such as fox hunting , hare and deer hunting; game bird shooting; and animal fighting. The charity helped bring about the Hunting Act 2004 and Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 , which banned hunting with hounds in England, Wales and Scotland. The League for
200-665: A point to point race organized by the Cornwall Hunt Club. In response, a spokesperson for the League commented that Sims attended the races because his daughter is pursuing a career as a jockey and given the dangers he wanted to attend. In 1983, Richard Course a former Executive Director of the League was quoted in The Times as pledging to give the Labour Party £100,000 for the general election . After Labour lost
300-408: A "secret system" which was sent to him by a Scottish estate worker to confuse stag hunters from finding deer where they were expected. In 1959, Lord Grey De Ruthyn signed a letter of protest to Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh accusing Prince Philip of teaching Prince Charles to like blood sports. In 1961, four League members who were opponents of fox hunting were expelled from
400-404: A continuum from very good to very poor and studies of welfare will be most effective if a wide range of measures is used." John Webster criticized this definition for making "no attempt to say what constitutes good or bad welfare." Animal welfare often refers to a utilitarian attitude towards the well-being of nonhuman animals. It believes the animals can be exploited if the animal suffering and
500-419: A decline beginning in the early 1960s, after the 1960 UK Betting and Gaming Act permitted off-course cash betting. Sponsorship, limited television coverage, and the later abolition of on-course betting tax have partially offset this decline. Commercial greyhound racing is characterized by several criteria (varying depending on country) and can include legalized gambling, the existence of a regulatory structure,
600-588: A form of windsock) that travels ahead of the greyhounds on a rail until the greyhounds cross the finish line . As with horse racing, greyhound races often allow the public to bet on the outcome . Animal rights and animal welfare groups have been critical of the welfare of greyhounds in the commercial racing industry for many years which has contributed to the reforms of the industries in recent years. A greyhound adoption movement spearheaded by kennel owners has arisen to assist retired racing dogs in finding homes as pets, with an estimated adoption rate of over 95% in
700-663: A greyhound's career will end between the ages of four and six – after the dog can no longer race, or possibly when it is no longer competitive. The best dogs are kept for breeding and there are industry-associated adoption groups and rescue groups that work to obtain retired racing greyhounds and place them as pets. In the United Kingdom, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has introduced measures to locate where racing greyhounds reside after they have retired from racing and as from 2017 records have been available to
800-512: A hypodermic needle according to good veterinary practice." It also includes modifying the genes of a protected animal if this causes the animal pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm. The ASPA also considers other issues such as animal sources , housing conditions, identification methods, and the humane killing of animals. Those applying for a license must explain why such research cannot be done through non-animal methods. The project must also pass an ethical review panel which aims to decide if
900-456: A licensing scheme which allows the use of more than two dogs in limited circumstances. The league noted that at least 41 licences were issued in the first hunting season since the act was introduced. Early presidents included Lady Cory, Alasdair Alpin MacGregor , Stephen Coleridge and Hamilton Fyfe . In 1947, Edith Sitwell was president of the League. Lord Grey de Ruthyn was president in
1000-678: A maximum of six months. In the UK, the welfare of research animals being used for "regulated procedures" was historically protected by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) which is administrated by the Home Office . The Act defines "regulated procedures" as animal experiments that could potentially cause "pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm" to "protected animals". Initially, "protected animals" encompassed all living vertebrates other than humans, but, in 1993, an amendment added
1100-588: A perfectly bestial thing... I don't believe the fox or the otter enjoys being hunted; I believe they experience fear, dismay, and pain". The League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports was renamed the League Against Cruel Sports in 1938. In 1954, Joseph Sharp, secretary of the league advocated humane destruction of foxes by cyanide fumigation. In 1957, chairman Edward Hemingway proposed a Bill to be designed to give deer on Exmoor and Quantock Hills statutory protection which would bring an end to
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#17327762965441200-406: A pre-race veterinary inspection before being allowed to take part in that race. The racing industry (in several countries) actively works to prevent the spread of doping cases. Attempts are being made to recover urine samples from all greyhounds in a race, not just the winners. Greyhounds from which samples cannot be obtained for a certain number of consecutive races are subject to being ruled off
1300-494: A research field to study "living things and their environment with respect to their welfare (defined as net happiness, or enjoyment minus suffering)." The European Commission 's activities in this area start with the recognition that animals are sentient beings. The general aim is to ensure that animals do not endure avoidable pain or suffering, and obliges the owner/keeper of animals to respect minimum welfare requirements. European Union legislation regarding farm animal welfare
1400-509: A single invertebrate species, the common octopus . Primates , cats , dogs , and horses have additional protection over other vertebrates under the Act. Revised legislation came into force in January 2013. This has been expanded to protect "...all living vertebrates, other than man, and any living cephalopod . Fish and amphibia are protected once they can feed independently and cephalopods at
1500-443: A wonderful animal charity that seems to be suffering upheavals". Animal welfare Animal welfare is the well-being of non-human animals . Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures such as longevity , disease , immunosuppression , behavior , physiology , and reproduction , although there
1600-575: Is a direct result of my taking the decision to support vulnerable staff against management and trustees". In 2018, Chris Williamson was suspended from the League and expelled from their board after he raised concerns about the actions of their senior management team. Williamson alleged that they asked a computer expert to hack the email account of Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance. Seven trustees also resigned. The Charity Commission responded that they were investigating
1700-565: Is a popular industry in Ireland with the majority of tracks falling under the control of Rásaíocht Con Éireann (GRI) which is a commercial semi-state body and reports to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine . The vast majority of greyhounds racing in the UK are imported from Irish breeders (estimated 90%). In the greyhound industry Northern Irish tracks are considered to be in
1800-602: Is a positive science." Dictionary definition – In the Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary , animal welfare is defined as "the avoidance of abuse and exploitation of animals by humans by maintaining appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and general care, the prevention and treatment of disease and the assurance of freedom from harassment, and unnecessary discomfort and pain." American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has defined animal welfare as: "An animal
1900-687: Is an issue of importance as part of the social development of nations worldwide. The campaign to achieve the UDAW is being coordinated by World Animal Protection , with a core working group including Compassion in World Farming , the RSPCA, and the Humane Society International (the international branch of HSUS ). The 2019 UN Global Sustainable Development Report identified animal welfare as one of several key missing issues in
2000-486: Is coping with the conditions in which it lives. An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behaviour, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress. Good animal welfare requires disease prevention and veterinary treatment, appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. Animal welfare refers to
2100-488: Is debate about which of these best indicate animal welfare. Respect for animal welfare is often based on the belief that nonhuman animals are sentient and that consideration should be given to their well-being or suffering , especially when they are under the care of humans. These concerns can include how animals are slaughtered for food, how they are used in scientific research , how they are kept (as pets, in zoos, farms, circuses, etc.), and how human activities affect
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#17327762965442200-461: Is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress." They have offered the following eight principles for developing and evaluating animal welfare policies. Terrestrial Animal Health Code of World Organisation for Animal Health defines animal welfare as "how an animal
2300-591: Is regularly re-drafted according to science-based evidence and cultural views. For example, in 2009, legislation was passed which aimed to reduce animal suffering during slaughter and on 1 January 2012, the European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC came into act, which means that conventional battery cages for laying hens are now banned across the Union. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that
2400-518: Is sometimes defined by a list of positive conditions which should be provided to the animal. This approach is taken by the Five Freedoms and the three principles of professor John Webster. The Five Freedoms are: John Webster defines animal welfare by advocating three positive conditions: Living a natural life, being fit and healthy, and being happy. High production – In the past, many have seen farm animal welfare chiefly in terms of whether
2500-482: Is taking the League and Labour MP Dan Norris , the former chair to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal. Knott has alleged that the Labour Party was "interfering in the strategy and operations of the charity". In September 2024, Surrey Police dropped its investigation into fraud allegations made against the League due to lack of evidence. A spokesperson for the League commented, "there was clearly no merit to
2600-417: Is that consciousness exists in nonhuman animals; however, some still maintain that consciousness is a philosophical question that may never be scientifically resolved. Remarkably, a new study has managed to overcome some of the difficulties in testing this question empirically and devised a unique way to dissociate conscious from nonconscious perception in animals. In this study conducted in rhesus monkeys,
2700-669: The Five Freedoms . In the UK, the " Animal Welfare Act 2006 " consolidated many different forms of animal welfare legislation. A number of animal welfare organisations are campaigning to achieve a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW) at the United Nations. In principle, the Universal Declaration would call on the United Nations to recognise animals as sentient beings, capable of experiencing pain and suffering, and to recognise that animal welfare
2800-690: The National Institutes of Health Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, researchers must try to minimize distress in animals whenever possible: "Animals used in research and testing may experience pain from induced diseases, procedures, and toxicity. The Public Health Service (PHS) Policy and Animal Welfare Regulations (AWRs) state that procedures that cause more than momentary or slight pain or distress should be performed with appropriate sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia. However, research and testing studies sometimes involve pain that cannot be relieved with such agents because they would interfere with
2900-658: The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act , passed in 2002 by the Scottish Parliament , and the Hunting Act 2004 . The League has campaigned against commercial breeding of non-native game birds for shooting , and against hunts that it believes are continuing to hunt wild mammals contrary to the 2004 ban. It also campaigns to extend hunting legislation from Scotland, England and Wales to Northern Ireland . Between 2006 and 2008, it successfully undertook private prosecutions against four hunt officials under
3000-529: The RSPCA . The society used members' donations to employ a growing network of inspectors, whose job was to identify abusers, gather evidence, and report them to the authorities. In 1837, the German minister Albert Knapp founded the first German animal welfare society. One of the first national laws to protect animals was the UK " Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 " followed by the " Protection of Animals Act 1911 ". In
3100-410: The mulesing of sheep and predation of stock by wild animals. Biosecurity is also a risk with free range farming, as it allows for more contact between livestock and wild animal populations, which may carry zoonoses . Farmed animals are artificially selected for production parameters which sometimes impinge on the animals' welfare. For example, broiler chickens are bred to be very large to produce
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3200-470: The totalisator , first introduced in 1930. Like horse racing , it is popular to bet on the greyhound races as a form of parimutuel betting . Greyhound racing enjoyed its highest United Kingdom attendances just after the Second World War —for example, attendances during 1946 were estimated to be around 75 million based on an annual totalisator turnover of £196,431,430. The industry experienced
3300-517: The " Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 " through Parliament offering protection from cruelty to cattle, horses, and sheep, an animal welfare movement has been active in England. Martin was among the founders of the world's first animal welfare organization, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , or SPCA, in 1824. In 1840, Queen Victoria gave the society her blessing, and it became
3400-405: The "distressing scenes of the hunt". In 1958, Hemingway and Sharp purchased the freehold for Slowley Woods, near Luxborough which was the first League Against Cruel Sports sanctuary "for wild animals, particular those that are hunted". It was reported in 1959 that members of the League were creating false chemical trails on Exmoor to confuse hounds when hunts take place. Edward Hemingway was using
3500-606: The 1950s up until his death in 1963. In 1958, he announced his intention of speaking in the House of Lords to further the League's campaign against hunting. Donald Soper was president of the League from 1967 to 1997. Annette Crosbie was president from 2003 to 2006. In 1988, it was reported that the League purchased 36 properties at a cost of 2.5 million to establish 2500 acres of wildlife. The League owns several wildlife reserves in and around Exmoor and Quantock Hills to prevent cruel sports from taking place. The League supported
3600-460: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Animal welfare science is an emerging field that seeks to answer questions raised by the keeping and use of animals, such as whether hens are frustrated when confined in cages, whether the psychological well-being of animals in laboratories can be maintained, and whether zoo animals are stressed by the transport required for international conservation. Ireland leads research into farm animal welfare with
3700-539: The American 'International Greyhound Racing Association' (or the I.G.R.A.), they launched the Greyhound Racing Association , holding the first British meeting at Manchester 's Belle Vue Stadium . The industry was successful in cities and towns throughout the UK – by the end of 1927, there were forty tracks operating. Middle-class reformers were outraged, and the working-class delighted, with
3800-587: The Bruite Creatures" Liberty 92 and 93 in the " Massachusetts Body of Liberties " of 1641. In 1776, English clergyman Humphrey Primatt authored A Dissertation on the Duty of Mercy and Sin of Cruelty to Brute Animals , one of the first books published in support of animal welfare. Marc Bekoff said that "Primatt was largely responsible for bringing animal welfare to the attention of the general public." Since 1822, when Irish MP Richard Martin brought
3900-635: The Hunting Act, because the police would not take action, and argued that this showed that the Hunting Act was clear in its meaning. The first prosecution led to a conviction, but this was overturned on appeal, and the second conviction was upheld in the Crown Court. James Barrington a former Executive Director of the League Against Cruel Sports who later became a consultant to the Countryside Alliance has alleged that mismanagement by
4000-401: The League condemns all forms of hunting they were primarily concerned with abolition of stag hunting and demanding the substitution of a drag in place of any living animal. The League's official journal Cruel Sports was published monthly. In 1931, Ernest Bell and Stephen Coleridge resigned in protest over Henry Amos's continuous criticism of the RSPCA. Lady Cory who was also a member of
4100-437: The League on Baronsdown reserve has caused large outbreaks of Bovine tuberculosis in deer. He has criticized the League for its lack of wildlife management . The League has denied the allegation. John Bryant a former Press Officer and Wildlife Research Officer commented that James Barrington met with leading members of the hunting fraternity without the knowledge of the League's Executive Committee. After Barrington resigned from
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4200-460: The League over a claim of constructive dismissal , he accepted a settlement of £20,000 and became pro-hunting. In 2019, it was reported that saboteurs have refused to co-operate with the League after accusing them of using information they gained to promote themselves. Martin Sims, the League's Director of Investigations has been criticized by saboteurs for attending hunt fundraising events including
4300-484: The League stated the situation was "regrettable" but the Labour party would obey the court's decision to repay £50,000 to the league. In 1988, Richard Course resigned over a dispute with the committee. He alleged that donations from the League had been made to fund Labour candidates without knowledge of its members and that accounts had been faked to conceal transactions. He demanded a department of trade investigation into
4400-634: The League. The allegations were denied by Donald Soper. In 2010, the League was censured by the Charity Commission for describing the Conservatives as the "nasty party". The commission said the League's claim, published in a press release had contravened charity rules on party political neutrality. In a regulatory case report the Commission stated that the "wording chosen by the charity was party political in character and went beyond
4500-452: The Prohibition of Cruel Sports was founded in 1924 by Ernest Bell , Henry B. Amos and George Greenwood , with the support of Henry Stephens Salt , Edward Carpenter and George Bernard Shaw . The League was founded due to frustration over the RSPCA 's lack of "emphasis on the abolition of hunting or on Royalty to stop hunting". In 1929, Captain Edmund T. MacMichael commented that although
4600-467: The RSPCA 20,828 ballot papers on the issue of fox hunting. Nearly 8000 papers were returned. The result was 1291 for fox hunting and 6343 against. Edward Hemingway commented that the ballot was held at the request of the RSPCA members. The RSPCA responded by warning its members to ignore the ballot and stated that the ballot was not valid as it had not been authorized. The League's executive committee concluded "an inescapable conclusion which must be drawn from
4700-768: The RSPCA resigned her presidency in 1932 as the League's journal had criticized other animal welfare societies and individuals. In 1932, a split-off organization, the National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports was formed by Ernest Bell and Stephen Coleridge following an internal dispute within the League over their relationship with the RSPCA. In 1937, Hugh Walpole wrote an article in Cruel Sports describing his negative experience of fox hunting, "I have never in all my experience of war seen anything so terrified as that fox. I realised that morning I had seen
4800-406: The RSPCA. The RSPCA council unanimously decided that their conduct had been "prejudicial to the interests of the society". One of the members that had been excluded gained support from 274 RSPCA members that there should be a poll on fox hunting. Edward Hemingway stated that RSPCA's expulsion of the four members was "an insult to the whole animal welfare movement". In 1962, the League sent members of
4900-460: The UK alone, up to 20 million broilers each year die from the stress of catching and transporting before reaching the slaughterhouse. Animal welfare violations have been observed more in intensively bred chicken, pig and cattle species, respectively, and studies and laws have been enacted in this regard. However, animal welfare in semi-intensive species such as sheep and goats is nowadays being scrutinised and gaining importance. Another concern about
5000-878: The US are also protected under the Animal Welfare Act . The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) enforces the Animal Welfare Act. APHIS inspects animal research facilities regularly and reports are published online. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the total number of animals used in the U.S. in 2005 was almost 1.2 million, but this does not include rats, mice, and birds which are not covered by welfare legislation but make up approximately 90% of research animals. There are many different approaches to describing and defining animal welfare. Positive conditions – Providing good animal welfare
5100-473: The US it was many years until there was a national law to protect animals—the " Animal Welfare Act of 1966 "—although there were a number of states that passed anti-cruelty laws between 1828 and 1898. In India, animals are protected by the " Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 ". Significant progress in animal welfare did not take place until the late 20th century. In 1965, the UK government commissioned an investigation—led by professor Roger Brambell—into
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#17327762965445200-523: The US, every institution that uses vertebrate animals for federally funded laboratory research must have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Each local IACUC reviews research protocols and conducts evaluations of the institution's animal care and use which includes the results of inspections of facilities that are required by law. The IACUC committee must assess the steps taken to "enhance animal well-being" before research can take place. This includes research on farm animals. According to
5300-866: The United States, greyhound racing is governed by state or local law, however, as of 2023 only two racetracks in West Virginia continue to operate. Greyhound care is regulated by the American Greyhound Council and the National Greyhound Association . There was one greyhound racing track in Mexico, the Caliente Hipodrome in Tijuana , that hosted races from 1947 to July 14, 2024. There
5400-450: The United States. In the UK, under the GBGB retirement scheme (introduced in 2020) greyhounds are ensured an approved GRS homing centre after racing. In many countries, greyhound racing is purely amateur and solely for enjoyment. In other countries, particularly Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, greyhound racing is similar to horse racing in that it is part of
5500-403: The allegations. The League denied all allegations and commented that they were "motivated purely by ex-trustees with a grudge". The League also stated that Williamson was expelled "after he supported someone who was abusing members of staff". In 2018, Jordi Casamitjana alleged he was sacked by the League after disclosing it invested pension funds in firms involved in animal testing and that he
5600-407: The animal is producing well. The argument is that an animal in poor welfare would not be producing well, however, many farmed animals will remain highly productive despite being in conditions where good welfare is almost certainly compromised, e.g., layer hens in battery cages . Emotion in animals – Others in the field, such as professor Ian Duncan and professor Marian Dawkins , focus more on
5700-800: The captives afterward for signs of infection from the procedure. Research on wild cetaceans leaves them free to roam and make sounds in their natural habitat, eat live fish, face predators and injury, and form social groups voluntarily. However, boat engines of researchers, whale watchers and others add substantial noise to their natural environment, reducing their ability to echolocate and communicate. Electric engines are far quieter, but are not widely used for either research or whale watching, even for maintaining position, which does not require much power. Vancouver Port offers discounts for ships with quiet propeller and hull designs. Other areas have reduced speeds. Boat engines also have unshielded propellers, which cause serious injuries to cetaceans who come close to
5800-802: The category of Irish greyhound racing and the results are published by the GRI. They do not come under the control of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain . Racing in New Zealand is governed by the New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB) in accordance with the Racing Act 2003. Greyhound racing in Great Britain is regulated by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain and accredited by United Kingdom Accreditation Service . In
5900-583: The cetaceans from a distance with dart guns. A cetacean was killed by a fungal infection after being darted, due to either an incompletely sterilized dart or an infection from the ocean entering the wound caused by the dart. Researchers on wild cetaceans have not yet been able to use drones to capture noninvasive breath samples. Other harms to wild cetaceans include commercial whaling , aboriginal whaling , drift netting , ship collisions , water pollution , noise from sonar and reflection seismology , predators , loss of prey , and disease . Efforts to enhance
6000-496: The claims made against us". In 2015, it was claimed that whistleblowers’ concerns about alleged malpractice within the League were not investigated properly. Allegations made of bullying and sexist culture at the top of the organization were strongly denied by the League. John Cooper a barrister who had been president of the league since 2011 was removed from his position. Cooper commented that "my summary removal as president, without any prior warning, discussion or communication,
6100-430: The costs of use is less than the benefits to humans. This attitude is also known simply as welfarism . Greyhound racing Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around a track. There are two forms of greyhound racing, track racing (normally around an oval track) and coursing ; the latter is now banned in most countries. Track racing uses an artificial lure (usually
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#17327762965446200-761: The doctrine of non-violence . In the 13th century CE, Genghis Khan protected wildlife in Mongolia during the breeding season (March to October). Early legislation in the Western world on behalf of animals includes the Ireland Parliament (Thomas Wentworth) " An Act against Plowing by the Tayle, and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep ", 1635, and the Massachusetts Colony ( Nathaniel Ward ) "Off
6300-569: The election it is alleged that Richard Course had never intended to give the party the money. Course denied such allegations and stated they were being promoted by the British Field Sports Society to spread disinformation and the League has never given money to a political party. In 1986, Charles Nodder, Information Officer for the British Field Sports Society stated that Course had "misrepresented
6400-445: The emergence in the late-1920s of Greyhound racing as an entertaining new sport and betting opportunity. At first it seemed modern, glamorous, and American, but the middle class lost interest when working-class audiences took over. The working class appreciated the nearby urban locations of the tracks and the evening times of the meetings. Betting has always been a key ingredient of greyhound racing, both through on-course bookmakers and
6500-551: The end of the procedure, or if appropriate, during the procedure." The National Research Council's Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals also serves as a guide to improve welfare for animals used in research in the US. The Federation of Animal Science Societies' Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching is a resource addressing welfare concerns in farm animal research. Laboratory animals in
6600-408: The facts" as in the annual report of the League for 1979 there is a statement which says "The League made a donation of £80,000 to the Labour party". In May, 1983 a High Court Judge ruled that the Labour Party must repay 50,000 of the election gift from the League. The other £30,000 given by the League to publicize Labour's animal welfare policies need not be returned. Eric Heffer a vice-president of
6700-481: The feelings of the animal. This approach indicates the belief that animals should be considered as sentient beings. Duncan wrote, "Animal welfare is to do with the feelings experienced by animals: the absence of strong negative feelings, usually called suffering, and (probably) the presence of positive feelings, usually called pleasure. In any assessment of welfare, it is these feelings that should be assessed." Dawkins wrote, "Let us not mince words: Animal welfare involves
6800-659: The first time, minimum standards of care. Additional provisions, called the Humane Euthanasia Act, were added in 1990, and then further expanded and strengthened with the Animal Protection Act of 2000. In 2002, voters passed (by a margin of 55% for and 45% against) Amendment 10 to the Florida Constitution banning the confinement of pregnant pigs in gestation crates. In 2006, Arizona voters passed Proposition 204 with 62% support;
6900-541: The gambling industry. Modern greyhound racing has its origins in coursing . The first recorded attempt at racing greyhounds on a straight track was made beside the Welsh Harp reservoir, Hendon, England , in 1876, but this experiment did not develop. The industry emerged in its recognizable modern form, featuring circular or oval tracks, with the invention of the mechanical, or artificial, hare in 1912 by an American, Owen Patrick Smith. O.P. Smith had altruistic aims for
7000-434: The greatest quantity of meat per animal. Broilers bred for fast growth have a high incidence of leg deformities because the large breast muscles cause distortions of the developing legs and pelvis, and the birds cannot support their increased body weight. As a consequence, they frequently become lame or suffer from broken legs. The increased body weight also puts a strain on their hearts and lungs, and ascites often develop. In
7100-436: The greyhound racing industry played an important role in the rise of drug-resistant hookworms . Greyhound farms tended to treat greyhounds with dewormers even when the dogs did not have an active infection, thus enabling worms, which are constantly exposed to drugs, to develop immunity against the drugs among the surviving worms. The rise of drug-resistant hookworms poses a threat to pets and humans more generally. Generally,
7200-527: The industry to stop the killing of the jack rabbits and see "greyhound racing as we see horse racing". In 1919, Smith opened the first professional dog-racing track with stands in Emeryville, California . The Emeryville arena was torn down in February 1920 to make way for the construction of a modern racetrack using the mechanical lure, described in the press as the "automatic rabbit." The first race at
7300-618: The issue of pensions to us, which allowed us to change our default pension fund to an ethical one closer to our values." Peter Egan and Penny Morgan, both vice-presidents of the League were sacked in 2018. It is alleged that Egan was removed for asking questions about the failures of the League which led to the Charity Commission using its statutory powers against it. Egan alleged he was forced out as he "wanted an open and transparent discussion". Morgan said she had been removed "for daring to ask some questions about what's going on in
7400-569: The legislation prohibits the confinement of calves in veal crates and breeding sows in gestation crates. In 2007, the Governor of Oregon signed legislation prohibiting the confinement of pigs in gestation crates and in 2008, the Governor of Colorado signed legislation that phased out both gestation crates and veal crates. Also during 2008, California passed Proposition 2 , known as the "Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act", which orders new space requirements for farm animals starting in 2015. In
7500-410: The life of wild cetaceans, besides reducing those harms, include offering human music. Canadian rules do not forbid playing quiet music, though they forbid "noise that may resemble whale songs or calls, underwater". In addition to cetaceans, the welfare of other wild animals has also been studied, though to a lesser extent than that of animals in farms. Research in wild animal welfare has two focuses:
7600-628: The new park was on Saturday, May 29, 1920. The oval track and mechanical hare were introduced to Britain, in 1926, by another American, Charles Munn, in association with Major Lyne-Dixson, a Canadian, who was a key figure in coursing. Finding other supporters proved rather difficult, however, and with the General Strike of 1926 looming, the two men scoured the country in an attempt to find others who would join them. Eventually they met Brigadier-General Critchley , who introduced them to Sir William Gentle . Between them they raised £22,000, and like
7700-423: The perception of better animal welfare facilitates continued and increased exploitation of animals. Some authorities therefore treat animal welfare and animal rights as two opposing positions. Others see animal welfare gains as incremental steps towards animal rights. The predominant view of modern neuroscientists , notwithstanding philosophical problems with the definition of consciousness even in humans,
7800-411: The physical presence of racetracks, whether the host state or subdivision shares in any gambling proceeds, fees charged by host locations, the use of professional racing kennels, the number of dogs participating in races, the existence of an official racing code, and membership in a greyhound racing federation or trade association. The medical care of a racing greyhound is primarily the responsibility of
7900-425: The point when they hatch. Embryonic and foetal forms of mammals, birds and reptiles are protected during the last third of their gestation or incubation period." The definition of regulated procedures was also expanded: "A procedure is regulated if it is carried out on a protected animal and may cause that animal a level of pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm equivalent to, or higher than, that caused by inserting
8000-626: The potential benefits outweigh any suffering for the animals involved. In the United States, a federal law called the Humane Slaughter Act was designed to decrease suffering of livestock during slaughter. The Georgia Animal Protection Act of 1986 was a state law enacted in response to the inhumane treatment of companion animals by a pet store chain in Atlanta . The Act provided for the licensing and regulation of pet shops, stables, kennels, and animal shelters, and established, for
8100-1163: The production of goat and cattle milk, raising the same concerns. A 2023 report by the Animal Welfare Institute found that animal welfare claims by companies selling meat and poultry products lack adequate substantiation in roughly 85% of analyzed cases. Captive cetaceans are kept for display, research and naval operations. To enhance their welfare, humans feed them fish that are dead but are disease-free, protect them from predators and injury, monitor their health, and provide activities for behavioral enrichment . Some are kept in lagoons with natural soil and vegetated sides. Most are in concrete tanks which are easy to clean but echo their natural sounds back to them. They cannot develop their own social groups, and related cetaceans are typically separated for display and breeding. Military dolphins used in naval operations swim free during operations and training and return to pens otherwise. Captive cetaceans are trained to present themselves for blood samples, health exams, and noninvasive breath samples above their blow holes. Staff can monitor
8200-581: The propeller. The US Coast Guard has proposed rules on propeller guards to protect human swimmers, but has not adopted any rules. The US Navy uses propeller guards to protect manatees in Georgia. Ducted propellers provide more efficient drive at speeds up to 10 knots, and protect animals beneath and beside them, but need grilles to prevent injuries to animals drawn into the duct. Attaching satellite trackers and obtaining biopsies to measure pollution loads and DNA involve either capture and release, or shooting
8300-579: The proponents of these views have advocated carrying out conservation efforts in ways that respect the welfare of wild animals, within the framework of the disciplines of compassionate conservation and conservation welfare , while others have argued in favor of improving the welfare of wild animals for the sake of the animals, regardless of whether there are any conservation issues involved at all. The welfare economist Yew-Kwang Ng , in his 1995 "Towards welfare biology: Evolutionary economics of animal consciousness and suffering", proposed welfare biology as
8400-495: The public. Several organizations, such as British Greyhounds Retired Database, Greyhound Rescue West of England, Birmingham Greyhound Protection, GAGAH, Adopt-a-Greyhound and Greyhound Pets of America, and the Greyhound Trust try to ensure that as many of the dogs as possible are adopted. Some of these groups also advocate better treatment of the dogs while at the track and/or the end of racing for profit. In recent years
8500-590: The racing industry has made significant progress in establishing programs for the adoption of retired racers. In addition to actively cooperating with private adoption groups throughout the country, many race tracks have established their own adoption programs at various tracks. Greyhounds Australasia was formed in 1937 (as the Australian and New Zealand Greyhound Association) and consists of governing bodies in Australian states and New Zealand, which regulate greyhound welfare and living conditions. Greyhound racing
8600-746: The recently published Research Report on Farm Animal Welfare Archived 8 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine . A major concern for the welfare of farmed animals is factory farming in which large numbers of animals are reared in confinement at high stocking densities. Issues include the limited opportunities for natural behaviors, for example, in battery cages , veal and gestation crates , instead producing abnormal behaviors such as tail-biting, cannibalism, and feather pecking , and routine invasive procedures such as beak trimming , castration , and ear notching .More extensive methods of farming, e.g. free range , can also raise welfare concerns such as
8700-570: The researchers built experiments predicting completely opposite behavioral outcomes to consciously vs. non-consciously perceived stimuli. Strikingly, the monkeys' behaviors displayed these exact opposite signatures, just like aware and unaware humans tested in the study. Animal protection laws were enacted as early as the 1st millennium BCE in India . Several Indian kings built hospitals for animals, and emperor Ashoka (304–232 BCE) issued orders against hunting and animal slaughter, in line with ahimsa ,
8800-530: The result is that the RSPCA, as at present constituted, is not any longer a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals". The League considers commercial greyhound racing to be cruel and inhumane. In 2014, the League published a report with GREY2K USA Worldwide on the state of greyhound racing in Great Britain. In 2024, the League expressed concerns about fox hunters exploiting a loophole in The Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023. The law introduced
8900-522: The scientific objectives of the study. Accordingly, federal regulations require that IACUCs determine that discomfort to animals will be limited to that which is unavoidable for the conduct of scientifically valuable research, and that unrelieved pain and distress will only continue for the duration necessary to accomplish the scientific objectives. The PHS Policy and AWRs further state that animals that would otherwise suffer severe or chronic pain and distress that cannot be relieved should be painlessly killed at
9000-406: The sort of statement that a charity can properly make". The League agreed to withdraw its press release. In July 2024, it was reported that the police were investigating fraud allegations against the League. Andy Knott, the League's former chief executive alleged that their fundraising appeals in the run-up to the 2024 United Kingdom general election were misleading. It was also reported that Knott
9100-476: The state of the animal; the treatment that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane treatment." Coping – Professor Donald Broom defines the welfare of an animal as "Its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment. This state includes how much it is having to do to cope, the extent to which it is succeeding in or failing to cope, and its associated feelings." He states that "welfare will vary over
9200-403: The subjective feelings of animals." Welfare biology – Yew-Kwang Ng defines animal welfare in terms of welfare economics : "Welfare biology is the study of living things and their environment with respect to their welfare (defined as net happiness, or enjoyment minus suffering ). Despite difficulties of ascertaining and measuring welfare and relevancy to normative issues, welfare biology
9300-472: The track in some countries. Violators are subject to criminal penalties and loss of their racing licenses by state gaming commissions and a permanent ban from the National Greyhound Association . The trainer of the greyhound is at all times the "absolute insurer" of the condition of the animal. The trainer is responsible for any positive test regardless of how the banned substance has entered the greyhound's system. A series of research papers have indicated that
9400-406: The trainer while in training. All tracks in the United Kingdom have to have a veterinary surgeon and veterinary room facilities on site during racing. The greyhounds require microchipping, annual vaccinations against distemper , infectious canine hepatitis , parvovirus , leptospirosis , and a vaccination to minimize outbreaks of diseases such as kennel cough . All greyhounds in the UK must pass
9500-465: The welfare and survival of wild species. There are two forms of criticism of the concept of animal welfare, coming from diametrically opposite positions. One view, held by some thinkers in history, holds that humans have no duties of any kind to animals. The other view is based on the animal rights position that animals should not be regarded as property and any use of animals by humans is unacceptable. Accordingly, some animal rights proponents argue that
9600-454: The welfare needs of their animals are met. These include the need: for a suitable environment (place to live), for a suitable diet, to exhibit normal behavior patterns, to be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable), and to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison for
9700-496: The welfare of farmed animals is the method of slaughter , especially ritual slaughter . While the killing of animals need not necessarily involve suffering, the general public considers that killing an animal reduces its welfare. This leads to further concerns about premature slaughtering such as chick culling by the laying hen industry , in which males are slaughtered immediately after hatching because they are superfluous; this policy occurs in other farmed animal industries such as
9800-761: The welfare of intensively farmed animals, partly in response to concerns raised in Ruth Harrison 's 1964 book, Animal Machines . On the basis of Brambell's report, the UK government set up the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee in 1967, which became the Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1979. The committee's first guidelines recommended that animals require the freedom to "stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs." The guidelines have since been elaborated upon to become known as
9900-414: The welfare of wild animals kept in captivity and the welfare of animals living in the wild. The former has addressed the situation of animals kept both for human use, as in zoos or circuses , or in rehabilitation centers. The latter has examined how the welfare of non-domesticated animals living in wild or urban areas are affected by humans or natural factors causing wild animal suffering . Some of
10000-482: Was discriminated against because of his ethical vegan belief. The League stated that he was dismissed because of gross misconduct. Casamitjana took legal action against the League which ended in an out-of-court settlement in his favour. In 2020, the League commented, "Having revisited the issue we now accept that Mr Casamitjana did nothing wrong with such communications, which were motivated by his belief in ethical veganism. We are grateful to Mr Casamitjana for having raised
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