Experts discuss complex nature of animal welfare at symposium

Far from being a topic rooted only in science, how we protect animal welfare is affected by such diverse elements as politics, ethics and semantics, international speakers at a welfare symposium at Michigan State University said Monday.

Day one of the three-day Joint International Educational Symposium on Animal Welfare, developed and co-sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), kicked off with speakers from as far away as Australia and nearby as East Lansing discussing the vast array of inputs and influences affecting animal welfare decisions.

Dan Marsman, DVM, Ph.D., chair of the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee and head of the Animal Welfare and Animal Alternatives Section, Product Safety & Regulatory Affairs Department at Procter & Gamble, was particularly excited at the opportunity to bring together a diverse group of individuals with such broad backgrounds to exchange information and determine how they might work cooperatively to find reasonable approaches to animal welfare challenges.

“Although our roles and experiences may be vastly different, we all have a vested interest in good animal welfare outcomes,” Dr. Marsman said. “It’s important for scientists and others who have valuable information to contribute to be able to come together in one venue to provide their perspectives and share ideas.”

Candace Croney, Ph.D., from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, began the day discussing the implications of semantics and imagery in framing animal welfare issues. Often, statements based on scientific research can be less effective than emotive imagery, especially in a culture that relies on sound bites, Dr. Croney said. She encouraged veterinarians to work on developing a common, consistent message on animal welfare.

Janice Swanson, Ph.D., from the Michigan State University Department of Animal Science and Large Animal Clinical Sciences, explained that how animal welfare is assessed varies among scientists, with different training and backgrounds leading to different views. Emphasizing different aspects of animal welfare can lead to different conclusions, which is why a multidisciplinary approach to animal welfare is so essential, Dr. Swanson said.

David Mellor, Ph.D., from the Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre at Massey University in New Zealand, looked at how science was able to determine whether fetal and newborn animals were conscious and how this information was used to frame related regulations in New Zealand and guidance developed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). This is a good example, Dr. Mellor said, of putting animal welfare science into practice.

Paul Thompson, Ph.D., a philosophy professor from Michigan State University, focused on the ethical treatment of livestock and public perceptions of animal welfare.

Dr. David Bayvel, a veterinarian from New Zealand who chairs the OIE Animal Welfare Working Group, described the OIE’s multifaceted definition of animal welfare and how scientific, ethical, economic, cultural, religious and political influences affect the organization’s development and delivery of animal welfare-related guidance.

Dr. Peter Thornber, a veterinarian from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in Australia, followed by describing the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy. The strategy uses a multistakeholder platform that allows a variety of voices on animal welfare to come together to create standards, guidelines and codes of practice that help people understand and meet related responsibilities and expectations.

Dr. Laurence Bonafos from the European Commission in Belgium described how current animal welfare standards in the European Union were established, and the initiatives underway to update those standards, raise awareness and create consensus on ensuring animal welfare across the globe.

Finally, Dr. Gail Golab, director of the AVMA Animal Welfare Division, discussed the combination of federal, state and local regulations and voluntary programs that protect animal welfare in the United States, where the gaps in those protections lie, and how they will likely be filled in the future.

The symposium continues Tuesday, November 10, before wrapping up on Wednesday, November 11.

For more information on the 2009 AVMA/AAVMC Joint International Educational Symposium on Animal Welfare, visit www.avma.org/awsymposium.

For complimentary press registration to the symposium, or to interview a speaker, contact Michael San Filippo, AVMA media relations assistant, at 847-285-6687 (office), 847-732-6194 (cell), ormsanfilippo@avma.org.

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The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 78,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. AVMA members are dedicated to advancing the science and art of veterinary medicine including its relationship to public health and agriculture. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org to learn more about veterinary medicine and animal care and to access up-to-date information on the association’s issues, policies and activities.

The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) is a non-profit membership organization working to promote and protect the welfare and health of animals, people, and the environment by generating new knowledge and preparing the high quality veterinary workforce needed to meet continually changing societal demands for veterinary expertise. AAVMC provides leadership for and promotes excellence in academic veterinary medicine to prepare the veterinary workforce with the scientific knowledge and skills required to meet societal needs through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge. On the Web: http://www.aavmc.org.

Support from P&G Pet Care and USDA-APHIS/Animal Care helped make this significant international gathering possible. P&G Pet Care is the maker of Iams and Eukanuba. P&G enhances the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods and pet care products. For more information visit www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.
USDA-APHIS Animal Care provides leadership in ensuring the health and care of animals and plants. The agency improves agricultural productivity and competitiveness and contributes to the national economy and the public health. Visit www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare.