[Fallen]

Animal Welfare

Greetings,

Over the numerous disgusting videos, unacceptable activities, and repulsive actions I've witnessed against animals, Feir and myself will be covering a topic about animal welfare. Many topics may be covered and I hope we are mature enough to take this to heart. Maybe learn a few facts and be a more educated individual in this field. Remember, everything may be applied. :victoire:

What is welfare?

Welfare is the social health, physical health, psychological, physiological health, and biological health of a said subject.

Animals are beings that inhabit this world, including ourselves.

Many people don't seem to grasp the concept that we, along with the rest of the animal kingdom, are mere cosmic travelers of the perceived world.

When we combine the two terms, animal welfare is the combination of both definitions provided. Put it together to realize that if we apply laws, rules, ideologies, and practices to us (ourselves and the rest of the kingdom), we are well off.

Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Usually, animal welfare is related to animal cruelty. Animal cruelty might be abusing any of the health prefixes and therefore, hindering natural growth.

When a child undergoes abuse, I would consider it to be animal cruelty. To say the child is not an animal, is scientifically wrong. We are not objectively better than animals in any way, shape, or form. Animals are not objectively better than animals in any way, shape, or form. I've provided a negative statement in which I lack the evidence to support, but I know there is no objective way for you to prove to me (not the rest of the world), to me, and perhaps Feir, that animals ≠ humans. We are all animals.

I would like to move on...

There are many organizations that exist which advocate animal welfare and are willing to donate their time to help advance for the welfare of animals. Hospitals, emergency rooms, charities, independent associations, and even businesses are all examples of organizations that are willing to assist with the progression of animal welfare.

I will emphasize now, on why this is so important. (To me, at least.) Your opinion is more or less unimportant to me.

In the following writings, I might have to distinguish animals and humans as separate entities because of the commonly misconceived notion of animals and humans actually being separate entities.

Animals seem to have ways of communication with us (humans). They do it. Well. They've been able to communicate longer than us and therefore, they might do it better. We're not the oldest living creatures on this planet and we're not always on top. We, however, have a lack of skills to interpret this communication, sometimes. During this process many mistakes may occur and a number of these mistakes injure, harm, or impede natural animal development. At times, we might not even realize this, but it doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't happen. Intentional injuries and ignorant actions lead to animal cruelty, and sometimes animal abuse. It's important to not belittle ourselves. Isn't it? It's important to not harm ourselves. Isn't it? It's important to not destroy our family? Isn't it? It's important to not use up the resources for your individual selfish self so that others do not have these resources? Isn't it? Maybe it's not important to you, but as stated previously, I couldn't care less what you think.

I think I have discovered several quintessential properties of well-being and I honestly won't let your lack of education effect these findings.

There appears to be a scientific theory that states that whoever might adapt the best to change, will prevail and dominate. Survival of the fittest, wasn't it? Survival of the fittest, however, was never meant to be eradication. Was it? I'll let you figure that one out. I don't have a universal answer that will satisfy everyone.

Regardless, I've accepted that this world is no where near perfect. It's imperfections have created discord that have become ultimately made it, a big fucking mess.

Feir has done some research and studies for several subjects under our general topic of animal welfare.

Welfare of animals in human captivation.

Throughout history some humans have used both other humans and animals as automatons for entertainment, scientific progress, testing, pleasure, sport, menial work and food.
People can rationalise internally whether something is fair or not, they can think and often process physical and emotional responses to what they think about it if affects them deeply enough, they can also voice their concerns and let others know how or why they feel the way they do. Animals can't verbally express things as they don't have a speaking voice, though they can have emotional and physical responses to cruelty or any situations that affect them. It's likely they even have thoughts that we don't fully understand. This part of our topic explains how we treat animals in human captivity, the laws surrounding animal treatment and cruelty, and hopefully shows why we should care about other beings and treat them humanely.

Pet care.
Probably where we can be most proactive is in pet care, if you have a pet you're likely to have an emotional bond with it and want to make sure it's welfare needs are met.
You might be surprised to know that before The Animal Welfare Act was reformed in 2006, that the law could only take action once the animal had suffered unnecessarily. Since the reform, animal welfare employees can take action to prevent suffering before it happens.
Humans have universal rights, now animal welfare organisations are trying to implement the same universal rights for animals.
As of now all owned/captive animals have these rights, by (UK) law.

What does the law actually say?

Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act places a duty of care on people to ensure they take reasonable steps in all the circumstances to meet the welfare needs of their animals to the extent required by good practice.

What does this mean for those responsible for animals?
In short it means they must take positive steps to ensure they care for their animals properly and in particular must provide for the five welfare needs, which are:
need for a suitable environment
need for a suitable diet
need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Source

All onus on the pets welfare is placed on the owner and people owning pets who do not meet the animals' welfare needs can be advised, cautioned, prosecuted and/or banned from owning animals. Pet breeders are also to comply with these laws.

Animal testing.
Again we are not discussing the ethics surrounding animal testing, it happens as of now and so the welfare of all animals being used is the priority at this time.
Animal testing involves two main categories, biological purposes and cosmetic purposes, and in both areas technology has advanced to a point where animals aren't always needed for testing.
Cosmetic testing is not globally banned, but in the EU all cosmetic testing is banned and so is the importation of products that have been tested on animals. A huge victory is that neither can any of the ingredients in a cosmetic product have been tested on animals - whereas before products could claim to have not been tested on animals if the product hadn't been tested as a whole but if some ingredients been tested on animals.
Medical testing is not universally or regionally banned, though there are acts to ensure that animals suffer as little as possible, this is done by firstly seeing if a replacement exists for using protected animals, if there is no replacement then the minimum amount of animals must be used and the most suitable animals to be used should be the ones deemed least likely to experience suffering, pain or distress, lastly the animals should have a good quality of care and a suitable environment and it must be ensured that the animals endure as little suffering as possible.
Types of experiments must be permissible, and allowances mostly include research to improve knowledge, education and safety.
Licenses are needed to ensure that people have proper skills and knowledge in veterinary care. And again, the killing of any animal must be done humanely.
Animals covered by these laws and acts are classed as protected animals, which includes all living vertebrates excluding man, any living cephalopod that has hatched, fish and amphibia once they can feed independently, and animal embryonic forms in the third trimester. Additionally, any embryonic form that is not yet at the third trimester is covered if it is likely it will live beyond the last trimester of gestation and will suffer pain or lasting harm.
An animal is classed as living until it's circulation stops or it's brain is destroyed, and decerebrate animals are classed as living.
As well as for research, animal testing is also done for veterinary purposes to benefit animal health or even to preserve animal species.

Farm animal care.

This section does not deal with the ethics of eating animals, it deals with the fact that animals right now are used for food so deals with how they are kept whilst being reared and how they are killed.
Farm animals are protected under the same 2006 animal welfare act as mentioned above, they are additionally protected under The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, and the animals covered are: an animal bred or kept for the production of food, wool or skin or other farming purposes.
Some animal welfare charities actively support non-cruel farming methods by approving certain food items and this will be represented on the label.

Animal welfare activists believe that animals have needs and the right to a good quality of life, even if it has only been bred to be eaten. Official organizations deem it important that they have a slow growth rate, enough space, enough light and an environment where they can act naturally, and carry out checks on farms to ensure the animals get this.

Transportation of animals is also covered under law;

“No person shall transport animals or cause animals to be transported in a way that is likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them” (Source: Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending directives).
All persons who take animals on a journey, whatever the length, should always apply good transport practice, making sure:
the journey is properly planned and time is kept to a minimum and the animals are checked and their needs met during the journey
the animals are fit to travel
the vehicle and loading and unloading facilities are designed, constructed and maintained to avoid injury and suffering
those handling animals are trained or competent in the task and do not use violence or any methods likely to cause unnecessary fear, injury or suffering
water, feed and rest are given to the animals as needed, and sufficient floor space and height is allowed.

Source

Humanely also applies to the killing of said animals, and I would like to add that religious slaughter is also covered by this law, with the main difference between types of slaughter being that religious meat cannot be stunned if it is to be kosher or halal, animals cannot be placed on their backs to be killed either (UK).

All slaughter houses must be licensed, must have competently trained employees, have appropriate hygiene standards and comply with statutory regulations.
Animals for slaughter have protection under Directive 93/119/EC, this has been implemented in Great Britain by the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) (WASK) Regulations 1995 - as amended in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2012.

The regulations:
make it an offense to cause - or permit - avoidable pain, excitement or suffering to any animal
state how animals must be handled, stunned, slaughtered or killed
state that the people involved in moving, lairaging, restraining, stunning, slaughtering or killing any animal must have the knowledge and skill to perform those tasks humanely and efficiently
state that only permitted methods can be used to stun and kill animals, and the person involved must have a registered license.
https://www.gov.uk/farm-animal-welfare-at-slaughter

Again, as above, anyone not treating their animals humanely can be held accountable under law.

I'd like to thank you if you have read every single word of this thread. A lot of effort was put forward into creating it. Edits were done by myself and Feir. Composition of layout was done by me. Please report any mistakes to myself or Feir. This thread will be appropriately updated as time progresses. This project was encouraged by the group Void as a voluntary act.

:blackhat:

[Singularity]

Great thread and I suggest that you read it word for word.

[Kureo]

I would read it now, but I am afraid that I don't have the time currently. Looks like a great thread though and I will see if I can find some time to read it later!

[LindaKay]

I SO agree with what you are talking about.

I can't imagine ever being a vegetarian or vegan. This gal loves steak, hamburgers, chicken and pretty much every other type of meat WAY too much.

BUT, I think that all animals that are raised for consumption should be treated in a humane manner. It's sad how much torture goes on out there.