Demographics Regarding Belief in Non-Human Animal Sentience and Emotional Empathy with Animals: A Pilot Study among Attendees of an Animal Welfare Symposium

Abstract

Simple SummaryAttitudes towards the welfare of non-human animals are related to beliefs about animals’ capabilities, particularly regarding experiences of pain and suffering. The current study explores the attitudes to animals among people who attended an animal welfare symposium at the University of Sydney. This population represents a unique sample of people who work, study or have a strong interest in animal care and welfare. The pilot study used a validated questionnaire that assessed attitudes to animals; specifically exploring participants’ (n = 41) beliefs about the sentience of animals and their emotional empathy with animals. The results found significant associations between participants’ beliefs in animal sentience and their demographic variables (age, sex and occupation). Female attendees showed stronger belief in sentience than male attendees did. When looking at emotional empathy with animals, the participants’ responses to the statements assigned into three clusters (or distinct groups) based on their content which reflected the internal emotional lives of animals and the treatment of animals by humans (Cluster 1), human interactions with animals (Cluster 2) and the keeping of companion and zoo animals (Cluster 3).AbstractAttitudes to animals are linked to beliefs about their ability to experience pain and suffering, their cognition, and their sentience. Education and awareness-raising play a pivotal role in increasing society’s consideration of non-human animal welfare. The current pilot study explores the attitudes towards animal welfare among a unique population of people who attended an animal welfare symposium at the University of Sydney. It involved administration of a validated questionnaire that assessed attitudes to animals; specifically exploring participants’ (n = 41) beliefs about the sentience of animals and their emotional empathy with animals. The resultant data revealed significant associations between participants’ beliefs in animal sentience and their demographic variables (age, sex and occupation). Female attendees showed stronger beliefs in sentience than male attendees did. Concerning sentience in cows, pigs and cats, older attendees showed stronger beliefs than younger people in sentience relating to hunger and pain. Also, with regard to questions about sentience in dogs, older attendees showed stronger beliefs than younger people in pain-related sentience in dogs. When exploring emotional empathy with animals, the participants’ statements could be assigned to three clusters characterised by the internal emotional lives of animals and the treatment of animals by humans (Cluster 1), human interactions with animals (Cluster 2) and the keeping of companion and zoo animals (Cluster 3). To the authors’ knowledge, this pilot study is the first of its kind to investigate the attitudes towards animal welfare of an important group of people who work, study or have a special interest within the animal care and welfare domain.

Education as a tool for improving canine welfare: Evaluating the effect of an education workshop on attitudes to responsible dog ownership and canine welfare in a sample of Key Stage 2 children in the United Kingdom

“…areas/target groups [37] but the difference in the effect of socioeconomic status on outcome in our study suggests that the relationship between animal welfare education outcomes and socioeconomic status is not necessarily straightforward. Females demonstrated greater improvement in attitudes than males in our analysis for RDO workshops, which is not an uncommon finding [25], with previous studies finding females more likely to be more sympathetic towards animal welfare [26,27] and further develop recognition of internal emotions and sentience of animals [38]. Older children (years 5 and 6) scored significantly higher than younger children (years 3 and 4).…”

Public attitudes toward dairy farm practices and technology related to milk production

“…There was an overlap of themes seen here, as aspects of naturalness were also expressed under the theme “Animal Welfare”, as participants viewed the expression of natural behaviour and access to a more natural living environment as important for welfare. These results are consistent with previous literature showing public concern towards modern practices [ 3 , 41 , 42 ]. More specifically, previous work has identified opposition to lack of pasture access [ 23 ], disbudding [ 35 ], and cow-calf separation [ 20 ].…”

Assessing the Uniformity in Australian Animal Protection Law: A Statutory Comparison

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