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Background: The Federal Ethics Committee on Non‐Human Biotechnology (ECNH) of Switzerland is an independent expert committee appointed by the Federal Council and mandated to advise the federal authorities from an ethical perspective in the field of nonhuman biotechnology and gene technology. Due to recent developments in the field of xenotransplantation after the introduction of genome editing technologies, the ECNH has commissioned an expert report on the ethical questions of xenotransplantation with a focus on animal ethics. The subject of the inquiry is, in particular, if current developments in the field of xenotransplantation raise new questions regarding ethics in the nonhuman realm or if existing questions have to be re‐examined and answered anew. Methods: An interdisciplinary approach was applied to answer this question. Based on the latest empirical results from medicine and biotechnology, xenotransplantation is analyzed and evaluated with reference to the dignity of the creature (Würde der Kreatur)—which is defined in the Swiss Federal Constitution—and the dignity of animals (Tierwürde) that is stipulated in the Swiss Animal Welfare Act and the Federal Act on Non‐Human Gene Technology, as well as contemporary positions in the ethics of the human–animal relationship. Results: The report concludes that genome editing for xenotransplantation does not generate any qualitatively new ethical issues concerning ethics in the nonhuman realm. However, contemporary biotechnological developments must be taken as an opportunity to discuss existing ethical issues in an urgent and intensified manner, particularly regarding the significance of animals' moral standing. The lack of consideration of animal‐related aspects and the neglect of current developments and the state of the art of animal ethics in the recent discussion about xenotransplantation is a scientific, ethical, and political issue because animals are most negatively affected by xenotransplantation. This is especially relevant because the contemporary state of the art in animal ethics tends to consider and protect animals more strongly than in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agribusiness is currently faced with the challenge of providing sufficient quality food for a growing population with limited natural resources. Egg production, as an important source of nutrition, is a dynamically developing sector of livestock production on a global scale. Simultaneously, the increasing public and legal considerations of animal welfare affect egg-producing operations. This paper aims to provide insight into missing evidence in the trade-offs between animal welfare and efficiency in egg-producing farms in the Czech Republic and the European Union. Detailed data were gathered on the extent of the enriched cage and indoor cage-free housing systems (aviaries/barns) among the main 30 Czech table-egg-producers. Original micro data enlarged the information on table-egg producers collected using the Orbis database. For the efficiency analysis at the EU level, data on the housing systems were obtained from Eurostat and combined with aggregated data from the Orbis database. A robust data envelopment analysis was applied which benefits from including animal-welfare variables directly into the efficiency evaluation. The results showed a negative, but statistically insignificant, relationship between the animal welfare and efficiency of the egg producers for the Czech Republic table-egg producers as well as those on the EU-country level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In Australia, animal welfare legislation is being reassessed and a number of notable changes have occurred. This article clarifies statements and builds upon a previous article published in 2023, titled "How Well Does Australian Animal Welfare Policy Reflect Scientific Evidence: A Case Study Approach Based on Lamb Marking". In the article, we explore the debate and changes around mandatory pain relief for mulesing of lambs and how this differs between Australian states and territories. The article also looks at how these legislative changes and industry action influence practice and how the interest of the public is represented in animal welfare law. It stresses the need for clear communication, collaboration among stakeholders, and policies based on scientific evidence to improve animal welfare. This commentary provides an update and clarification on the legislative landscape surrounding mulesing in Australia since the publication of the 2023 study, "How Well Does Australian Animal Welfare Policy Reflect Scientific Evidence: A Case Study Approach Based on Lamb Marking". The article explores legislative changes mandating the use of pain relief for mulesing in various states, emphasising Victoria's original role, and highlighting the fragmented state-based legislative approach to animal welfare. It discusses the impact of these legislative changes on industry practices and animal welfare outcomes. The commentary highlights the complexities of policy development in this area, due in part to the diverse and often conflicting interests of stakeholders and the public. It underscores the importance of transparency, stakeholder collaboration, and scientifically informed policymaking to effectively enhance animal welfare standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Canada uses a decentralized approach to regulate animal use in science that can weaken protections, create confusion for compliance, and complicate enforcement. We propose a stepwise approach to centralizing animal welfare laws, beginning with an enhancement of the existing 3Rs (Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction) framework by adding two new Rs: Reflection and Responsiveness. The two new Rs encourage the continuous evaluation of research progress, timely action based on new findings, and the publication of all data. We suggest that proactive consideration of all five Rs in research and education would immediately improve the welfare of animals used in science across Canada while restructuring towards a more centralized approach is explored. In this paper, we review the standard-setting tools of different levels of government in Canada for overseeing the care of animals used in science against a landscape of other international efforts. We find regulatory inconsistencies, argue that the related shortcomings are detrimental to the level of care afforded to animals, and offer suggestions for a centralized and proactive approach that could close the existing gaps. Given the resources, cost, and time it would take to transform the current system into a single cohesive one, the proposed approach is a stepwise one, and begins with the addition of two new Rs—Reflection and Responsiveness—to the existing 3Rs framework: Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction. Reflection emphasizes more continuous and specific attention to progress in the research pathway as it applies to animals than is currently required by institutional review and reporting; Responsiveness speaks to the immediate action that researchers can take responsively to that ongoing evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US Supreme Court recently debated and upheld a significant piece of farmed animal welfare legislation, Proposition 12, which was broadly supported by Californian voters. The goal of this study was to determine how individual differences in personality are related to attitudes about this legislation. We examined how ten lower-order aspects of the Big Five personality traits were related to Proposition 12 in an American sample (n = 802). The Openness aspect of Openness to Experience, the Withdrawal aspect of Neuroticism, and trait domain Agreeableness were consistently related to support for Proposition 12. Effects were not moderated by political orientation, region, gender, or age. Our results show that personality traits are not only an important factor in general political attitudes about animal welfare, but that they can predict people's attitudes about particular pieces of animal welfare legislation. Results also highlight the importance of considering lower-order aspects for predicting animal welfare attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the demand for improved farm animal welfare (FAW) legislation in the BRIC countries and the USA. Results are discussed in comparison to Europe. Interviewees ranked their willingness to support or oppose introduction of more FAW-friendly laws in their country. A multinomial logistic regression was fit to the data (p < 0.001), with the parameters "country × gender" (p < 0.001) and "country × age" (p < 0.001) found significant. Americans, Russian women, and older Brazilian men are very supportive. The age effect is also felt in India, where older people are more supportive. Chinese, American men, and younger Indians are less supportive. Russian males are the group that oppose the most, followed by younger Brazilians and Indians. The law and its application vary a lot between countries. Nevertheless, the societal willingness to improve FAW legislation is high in all countries. The willingness is higher in Europe. The different cultural backgrounds, the socio-economic factors, and the social, economic, and environmental sustainability are enough reasons to create barriers to policy harmonization in the global trade of farm animal products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines if and how pet protection orders have been used by domestic violence survivors in the 36 states and the District of Columbia in which they have been enacted. A review of court websites determined if there was a specific item to include a pet in the temporary and/or final protection order. In addition, individual court administrators were contacted in various states to determine if statistics were available on the number of pet protection orders issued. Another mode of investigation included examining appropriate websites in each state to ascertain if the state issued a report on domestic violence statistics, and if so, if that report contained information on pet protection orders. Only one state, New York, keeps track of the number of protection orders that have been issued that include pets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the legal status of nonhuman animals used in biomedical research. While acknowledging that, presently, nonhuman animals in research settings hold no personal legal rights, this article explores what a legal person is and proposes that it is possible for nonhuman animals to become legal persons and receive better protections under the federal Animal Welfare Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: In Switzerland, the importance of transparency in animal experimentation is emphasized by the Swiss Federal Council, in recognition of the public's great interest in this matter. Current Swiss law requires institutions and the government to inform the public about various aspects, such as the number of animals used in experiments, their species, or the severity of harm of the experiment. However, much relevant information is missing, such as the number of breeding or surplus animals, the fate of the animals (both in facilities and after an experiment), and how the balancing of animal harm and human benefits has been performed to justify a particular experiment. Considering that the Swiss government has a duty to provide information on animal experimentation conducted on the public's behalf, such information should be disclosed. If Switzerland is to move toward more transparency in public information on animal experimentation, an update of the legal requirements is needed. In this article, we give recommendations for Swiss law to move toward more transparency in public information. In Switzerland, the importance of transparency in animal experimentation is emphasized by the Swiss Federal Council, recognizing the public's great interest in this matter. Federal reporting on animal experimentation indicates a total of 585,991 animals used in experiments in Switzerland in 2022. By Swiss law, the report enables the public to learn about many aspects such as the species and degree of suffering experienced by the animals, but some information of interest to the public is missing, such as the fate of the animals at the end of the experiment (e.g., euthanized, rehomed in a private home, reused in another experiment). When it comes to animals bred in facilities but not used in experiments, further information of interest is not required to be made public according to Swiss law, for example, the number and fate of "surplus" animals (i.e., animals bred but not used in experiments for a variety of reasons such as not carrying the phenotypical properties needed). Considering that the Swiss government has a duty to provide a full accounting of animal experimentation conducted on the public's behalf, further relevant information should be disclosed. While efforts toward transparency, such as the STAAR Agreement, have been made in the scientific community, these mostly reflect the legal requirements already in force. If Switzerland is to move toward more transparency in public information on animal experimentation, an update of the legal requirements is needed. In this article, we give recommendations for Swiss law to move toward more transparency in public information on seven aspects: (1) the fate of the animals at the end of the experiment; (2) the sources of funding for animal experimentation; (3) the harm-benefit analysis performed by researchers and ethics committees to justify an experiment using animals; (4) the number of breeding/surplus animals; (5) the fate of breeding/surplus animals; (6) the harms experienced by animals in facilities; and (7) the funding of animal facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Creatures of Fashion: Animals, Global Markets, and the Transformation of Patagonia" published in the Journal of Agrarian Change explores the history of the Patagonian region, focusing on the impact of commodification of animals on society and nature. The book delves into the relationships between society, nature, and animals, shedding light on the historical processes and global dynamics that shaped the region. By examining the exploitation of animals for commercial gain and the role of animals in social reproduction, the book offers a unique perspective on the environmental history of Patagonia. [Extracted from the article]

A face-to-face national survey in Taiwan was conducted to reflect the influence of animal welfare legislation on attitudes of the public (n = 1,099) towards animal welfare. Greater awareness and knowledge of the law correlated with a better attitude towards and preference for relevant animal protection issues in respondents. The lack of knowledge on animal welfare concepts, animal welfare products, and related labels among respondents appears to hinder the development of better animal welfare. Thus, promoting a better understanding of the law is fundamental and necessary. Improving animal welfare in Taiwan requires promotion of animal welfare concepts and markets in society not only through legislation, but also through education and implementation of better animal welfare policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the use of high‐expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry. A dossier was provided by the applicant as the basis for an assessment of the extent to which the method is able to provide a level of animal welfare at least equivalent to that ensured by the currently allowed methods for pigs and poultry. According to legislation, to be approved in the EU, new stunning methods must ensure (1) the absence of pain, distress or suffering until the onset of unconsciousness, and (2) that the animal remains unconscious until death. An ad hoc Working Group set up by EFSA performed the assessment as follows: (1) The data provided were checked against the criteria laid down in the EFSA Guidance (EFSA, 2018), and was found to partially fulfil those criteria; (2) extensive literature search; (3) data extraction for quantitative assessment; (4) qualitative exercise based on non‐formal expert elicitation. The assessment led to conclude that it is more likely than not (certainty > 50%–100%) that high‐expansion foam for stunning and killing pigs and poultry, named NEFS in container (Nitrogen Expansion Foam Stunning in container), provides a level of welfare at least equivalent to one or more of the currently allowed methods listed in Annex I of Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009. The overall assessment of EFSA is valid only under the technical conditions described in this Opinion for laying hens, broiler chickens of all age and pigs weighing 15–41 kg in situations other than slaughter. The overall assessment of EFSA is that NEFS can be suitable for depopulation using containers for pig and poultry farms respecting the technical conditions and the categories and types of animals defined in this Scientific Opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the legal and ethical considerations regarding the capture and care of cetaceans like whales, dolphins and porpoises. Other topics include the laws protecting marine mammals on captivity like the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA), the challenges over the release of captive cetaceans, and the complexities of creating seaside sanctuaries as a form of zoological housing and care.

Since Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, there have been thousands of instances of civilian casualties, damage to the natural environment and cultural property, destruction of buildings and infrastructure, blockading of ports, siege, capturing installations containing dangerous forces, and other consequences that accompany hostilities. In addition to the fatalities related to humans (civilians and combatants alike) and their property or environment, the war in Ukraine has also accounted for non-human tolls – namely, the destruction of animals or damage to their habitats. The primary objective of this article is to study three patterns of animal suffering documented during Russia's invasion of Ukraine: (i) targeting zoos and killing zoo animals; (ii) extermination of the Black Sea dolphin population; and (iii) eating pigeons or other pets in besieged localities, and to analyse these patterns in the light of applicable rules of international humanitarian law (IHL). The idea of this research is to underline that war can have a significant effect on various categories of animals, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine is just another example of this. The article also discusses how, and the extent to which international law can provide protection for animals in armed conflict, and whether there are any gaps in the applicable IHL rules related to the protection of animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal hoarding, a complex and often-misunderstood phenomenon, presents significant challenges to both individuals and communities. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the literature on animal hoarding, synthesizing key findings from various disciplines including psychology, sociology, veterinary medicine, animal welfare and public health. The review identifies common characteristics of animal hoarder's, such as a deep emotional attachment to animals, social isolation, and a lack of insight into the harm caused by their behavior. Furthermore, the paper explores the multifaceted nature of animal hoarding, examining its psychological, social, and ethical dimensions. Three hoarding cases that were treated by the Animal Welfare Department of Veterinary Services and districts' referents are presented, demonstrating the complexity of the theoretical division of hoarders' types. Hereby, we further discusses the impact of hoarding on both human and animal welfare, including the risks of neglect, disease transmission and environmental deterioration. Additionally, the paper highlights the challenges in identifying and intervening in cases of animal hoarding, including legal and ethical considerations. Drawing on this review, the paper proposes a conceptual framework for understanding animal hoarding that integrates individual, interpersonal, and systemic factors. This framework emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary approach to addressing animal hoarding, highlighting the important collaboration between mental health professionals, social services, animal welfare organizations, and law enforcement agencies. Finally, the paper discusses implications for research, practice, and policy, advocating increased awareness, prevention efforts, and support services for individuals at risk of or affected by animal hoarding. By advancing our understanding of this complex phenomenon, this paper aims to contribute to interventions that are more effective and ultimately may improve the well-being of both humans and animals impacted by hoarding behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nachhaltigkeitsrecht is the property of Verlag Oesterreich GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Assessments of the impact of live-capture methods and tools are important to wildlife research and management efforts. Federal regulations (e.g., the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Animal Welfare Act) require humane and ethical treatment of migratory birds. Therefore, it is important to conduct live trapping using methodologies that minimize the potential for injury or mortality. We evaluated the injury rate experienced by red-tailed hawks Buteo jamaicensis captured using three commonly used live traps (i.e., bal-chatri, Swedish goshawk, and pole). Professional wildlife biologists at airports in Illinois live-captured 25 free-ranging red-tailed hawks using bal-chatri traps, 42 red-tailed hawks using Swedish goshawk traps, and 25 red-tailed hawks using pole traps. Of the red-tailed hawks (n 5 53) identified by a veterinary forensic pathologist as having one or more capture-related injuries, 85% of the injuries were classified as "minor" (e.g., cuts or scrapes), 13% were classified as "moderate" (e.g., hemorrhaging), and only 2% were classified as "severe" (e.g., fractures). When considering only injuries classified as moderate and severe, we found no difference (v2 1 5 0.38, P 5 0.54) in the frequency of these injuries among the three trap types. The three live-trap devices we evaluated can be efficient tools that result in minimal risk of injury or death when used by those with proper training and experience to live-capture red-tailed hawks for research purposes, for conducting raptor hazard management activities, or for licensed falconers to acquire wild red-tailed hawks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief report characterizes and maps changes in six key aspects of pig animal welfare (AW) legislation in 13 countries in the European Union (EU) during the period 1991-2020, focusing primarily on aspects of AW likely to impact the economic performance and international competitiveness of the pig production sector. National AW legislation in the selected EU member states that exceed the EU minimum levels within the six selected key areas are also mapped. Analysis of changes in AW over time, using legislative texts, academic literature, and an expert survey, revealed that AW-legislation at the national level has generally become more stringent, in line with EU directives, and that a number of member states have introduced additional AW legislation that exceed EU minimum levels. This review helps to uncover historical changes in and can form the basis for further research investigating effects of changes in AW legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study illustrates the data relating to euthanasia in a canine population during the years 1990–2020 in a small animals' veterinary hospital. The overall period examined has been split into two terms (T1 = 1990–2004 and T2 = 2005–2020) based on Law 189/2004 coming into force, as this law made changes to the Criminal Code regarding offenses against animals and the related penalties. In comparing the significant differences of the two terms, variables such as age, breed, reproductive status, and ownership were considered. Law 189/2004 has played an important role in Italy by acknowledging animals as sentient beings and, therefore, influencing the decision-making process of euthanasia. This study aimed to investigate changes in the number of, and reasons for, requests for dogs' euthanasia over the last thirty years. Data (breed, age, gender, neuter status, manner, and cause of death) from dogs' euthanasia registered between 1990 and 2020 in a small animals' veterinary hospital were analyzed. The overall period examined has been split into two terms (T1 = 1990–2004 and T2 = 2005–2020) considering the introduction and enforcement of Law 189/2004. During the whole period examined, a significant increasing trend in euthanasia cases has been recorded (p = 0.027). Comparing the two terms, we observed significant differences regarding variables such as age, breed, reproductive status, and ownership. The number of euthanized dogs was significantly higher in T1 than in T2. Dogs euthanized in T2 were older than dogs in T1. A high percentage of the euthanized dogs were crossbred and stray dogs. Additionally, the number of neutered/spayed dogs was significantly higher. Regarding the cause of death, a significantly higher percentage of neoplastic processes was detected in T2. The data here reported suggest a potential influence of Law 189/2004. This law in Italy has proven to be a legal milestone that has influenced the decision-making process between euthanasia and natural death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial from the journal Frontiers in Communication titled "Democracy under siege: how actors, communication strategies, and emerging phenomena are changing the rules in the public sphere." The editorial discusses the challenges that democracy faces in the contemporary digital age, including the rise of populism, the manipulation of emotions in political discourse, the spread of disinformation, and the control of communication in non-democratic regions. The editorial highlights four articles that explore these phenomena and their implications for democratic governance. It emphasizes the fragmentation and polarization of the public sphere, the erosion of democratic norms, and the need for regional and global cooperation to address these challenges. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a novel technique for measuring fluid absorption during ureteroscopy, a procedure used to treat kidney stones. The study used a live swine model and added ethanol to the irrigation solution to measure fluid absorption. The researchers compared breathalyzer measurements with serum venous ethanol concentrations and found a strong correlation between the two. The results suggest that using a breathalyzer could be a non-invasive and cost-effective method for measuring fluid absorption during ureteroscopy, potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing the risk of infection. [Extracted from the article]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles within the issue on topics including the ethics of nonhuman animal use in human-centered research, principles and societal values that govern treatment of nonhuman research animals, advancements in disease and biological modeling,

This article examines the complexities surrounding the determination of ownership for pets and fine art. It highlights the inadequacies of the legal framework in resolving ownership disputes, citing factors such as unclear statutes, questionable acquisition methods, and financial constraints. The article also discusses the challenges of using adverse possession and lost property statutes to establish ownership. It further explores the evolving recognition of pets as more than just property in divorce cases and the need for statutory clarification. The author, Brian Chase, is the general counsel for Michelson Philanthropies, including the Michelson Found Animals Foundation. [Extracted from the article]

Context: New animal welfare legislation and ethical guidelines encourage alternative approaches for canine contraception, instead of surgical gonadectomy which is considered invasive and unjustified in healthy dogs. Aims: Reversible contraception might be achieved by inhibition of aromatase (CYP19), an enzyme catalysing the conversion of androgens to oestrogens. This study provides insights into the spatio-temporal expression and distribution of aromatase in canine ovarian tissue. Methods: Ovarian tissue was collected from 39 healthy and sexually mature bitches during different stages of the oestrous cycle: pro-oestrus (n = 8), oestrus (n = 12), dioestrus (n = 9) (luteal phase) and anoestrus (n = 10). Localisation of cytochrome P450 aromatase was determined by immunohistochemistry. Key results: Aromatase activity in the dog is high during pro-oestrus, ovulation and early dioestrus. Comparing types of follicles and corpora lutea, the highest aromatase abundance was found in antral follicles and luteinising follicles, whereas corpora lutea and early antral follicles showed an intermediate presence of the enzyme. Interesting was the high abundance of aromatase in luteinising theca interna cells, prevailing over granulosa cells. Conclusions and implications: Understanding of cells involved in oestradiol production is important for targeted inhibition of oestradiol synthesis, possibly offering an approach for contraception and suppression of oestrus. In clinical practice, contraception in female dogs is traditionally achieved by surgical gonadectomy. As this method is discouraged by new animal welfare legislation in some parts of the world and is also related to several side effects, alternative possibilities for contraception are needed. Here, we report the distribution of aromatase in the canine ovary during different stages of the oestrous cycle. In-depth knowledge of oestrogen synthesis in the female dog is mandatory for targeted inhibition of oestradiol, possibly by the use of aromatase inhibitors. Photograph by M. P. Kowalewski. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Umsatzsteuer-Rundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: This study investigated the occurrence of various animal welfare violations at German abattoirs by analyzing the results of an anonymous online survey and relevant German court decisions. Methods: The survey targeted official veterinarians (OVs) and other individuals responsible for enforcing animal welfare laws and regulations at German abattoirs. Participants were asked to report the five most common animal welfare violations in their workplaces during the past 3  years (2019–2021), and whether 22 specific given violations had occurred or not (in the same timeframe). The court decisions were examined to determine how many abattoirs were penalized for a specific animal welfare violation and the details about the number and species of affected animals. Results: Overall, the violations examined throughout this study fell into one of the following categories: (1) use of prohibited driving aids (e.g., illicit use of electric prods, or hitting/beating animals); (2) inadequate husbandry in lairage; (3) inappropriate handling of animals with special care needs; (4) improper restraint, stunning, and bleeding of animals; and (5) unqualified task execution/inadequate administrative work (e.g., documentation of a violation). The violations analyzed in the scope of this study most frequently fell into categories 1, 2, and 4. Regarding the five violations that survey participants reported to be the most common in the years 2019–2021, 42.6% of responses (N = 277 reported violations) fell into category 4, followed closely by category 1 with 37.9%. Of the 22 violations surveyed in the second part of the survey, those reported by 50.0% or more participants were concentrated in categories 1, 2, and 4. Regarding the 16 relevant court rulings spanning from 2015 to 2022, the most frequently documented instances of misconduct primarily fell into category 1. Discussion: The collected data suggest that there may be need for improvements regarding compliance with animal welfare legislation, especially concerning categories 1, 2, and 4. The authors suggest OVs to consider these findings when conducting monitoring activities at abattoirs and in the training and education of abattoir personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue Française de Gestion is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Literary texts deal with ethically highly relevant topics such as violence, the climate crisis or animal welfare, they deal with historical and political events and discuss developments in medicine, etc. If one follows the current social debate about autonomy, which is being conducted particularly in the art discourse, then such texts would be considered post-autonomous insofar as they supposedly overcome the historical principle of aesthetic autonomy and link their autonomy directly to the aesthetic treatment of social issues. But where is the line between social responsibility and aesthetic autonomy? In the following, instead of autonomy and post-autonomy as binarism, an attempt is made to start from perspective structures in literary texts that make the relative degree of autonomy determinable by describing them as aesthetic and/or ethical. With recourse to the classical concept of autonomy (Moritz, Schiller) and Kant's deontological ethics, autonomy is developed as a relative category and transferred into a concept of perspectival autonomy. In the 18th century, aesthetic autonomy, also insofar as it is based on sensualist premises and thus places emphasis on sensory perception, cannot be separated from the constitution of the human being as an individual. If equal weight is given to the aesthetic and the ethical side when analyzing literary texts, perspective structures can be observed in literary texts that are to be made fruitful in the following as perspectives of autonomy for the discourse on the limits and possibilities of literature. The focus here is neither on the relationship between content (socially heteronomous) on the one hand and (aesthetically autonomous) form on the other, nor on the levels of production, object and reception, but rather on a conceptualization of autonomy from the end of the 18th century to the current debates on the (post-)autonomy of art between ethics and aesthetics. If an ethical perspective of aesthetic autonomy is sought, this does not call into question the fact that, firstly, literature is always connected to the ›world‹ and, secondly, this connection is also possible without concrete content specifications, because, thirdly, literature has a ›poetic function‹ (Jakobson) to which moral or political intentions are subordinate. However, since external and self-references, i. e. text-external influences and text-internal poetics, cannot always be easily and clearly distinguished and distilled in isolation from each other in a text, a scaling approach is proposed here in relation to the autonomy postulate in order to locate texts between autonomy and heteronomy. The analysis of gradations, degrees or weightings of autonomy replaces their close connection to aesthetics in favor of an ethical and/or aesthetic perspective of a literary text. This is intended to counter both a narrow understanding of aesthetic autonomy (which is neither consistent with the meaning of the word autonomy as self-legislation nor with the founding theses of the 18th century) and a broad understanding. Aesthetic autonomy is neither to be equated with purity, isolation and freedom from purpose (narrow understanding = normative criteria that strongly restrict aesthetic autonomy in terms of definition) nor does it consist in the aesthetic ›translation‹ of social discourses on the level of form that is fundamentally given in literary texts (broad understanding = the only criterion is literariness, so that aesthetic autonomy would be attributed to all literary-poetic texts regardless of content). The fundamental reference of a text to the world is distinguished in the approach pursued here from an ethical perspective, which includes an effect of literature beyond a reference to the world. This effect is not intended to be normative, but is part of the aesthetic self-legislation of a text. It is aimed at knowledge, change and development or, in the words of the aesthetics of Moritz and Schiller: at ›inner education‹. Following a localization of autonomy between the suspicion of ideology and the postulate of post-autonomy, which refers to some selected positions of research, the various definitions of aesthetic autonomy are first weighed against each other in order to then establish a connection to life science and ethics. The reflections on the constitution of aesthetic autonomy under ethical auspices finally lead to an attempt to develop a scale of the outlined perspectival autonomy on which literary texts can be approximately located. The analytical examination of (historical) concepts of aesthetic autonomy is relevant insofar as, on the one hand, existing classifications and weightings can be questioned and, on the other hand, it can be examined which understanding of aesthetic autonomy should be introduced into the current discourse on the tasks and social significance of literature. If it becomes clear that aesthetic autonomy is a construction that has been constituted from very different discourse-dependent attempts at definition, then it is possible to choose the appropriate concept for analyzing and describing texts from the variety of terms. To do this, however, it is necessary 1) to de-ideologize or demystify aesthetic autonomy, i. e. neither to elevate it to a pedestal nor to discredit it with ivory tower metaphors, and 2) to break open its supposedly narrow framework with absolute claims and either/or definitions. Contemporary aesthetics does not need autonomy as a fighting concept, a confession or to form fronts, but as a (meta-)category between and/or above the discourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How individual animals respond to climate change is key to whether populations will persist or go extinct. Yet, few studies investigate how changes in individual behavior underpin these population-level phenomena. Shifts in the distributions of migratory animals can occur through adaptation in migratory behaviors, but there is little understanding of how selection and plasticity contribute to population range shift. Here, we use long-term geolocator tracking of Balearic shearwaters (Puffinus mauretanicus) to investigate how year-to-year changes in individual birds’ migrations underpin a range shift in the post-breeding migration. We demonstrate a northward shift in the post-breeding range and show that this is brought about by individual plasticity in migratory destination, with individuals migrating further north in response to changes in sea-surface temperature. Furthermore, we find that when individuals migrate further, they return faster, perhaps minimizing delays in return to the breeding area. Birds apparently judge the increased distance that they will need to migrate via memory of the migration route, suggesting that spatial cognitive mechanisms may contribute to this plasticity and the resulting range shift. Our study exemplifies the role that individual behavior plays in populations’ responses to environmental change and highlights some of the behavioral mechanisms that might be key to understanding and predicting species persistence in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigated the level of knowledge and the current situation with regard to the welfare of farm animals during transportation and in beef, pork, and poultry slaughterhouses. For this purpose, a questionnaire was developed to obtain data on respondents' understanding of their work, knowledge of legislation, training, and attitudes towards animal welfare. Slaughterhouse employees and professional animal livestock drivers participated in the study. Slaughterhouse employees showed more knowledge about animal welfare than livestock drivers, but both groups were not sufficiently familiar with animal welfare legislation and regulations. All respondents agreed that animals are sentient beings and almost all respondents were unfamiliar with the concept of biosecurity. This study found that the results of the veterinary experts' observations were generally lower than the results of the employees' and livestock drivers' self-assessments. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that there is a need to improve the awareness and knowledge of slaughterhouse employees and livestock drivers regarding animal handling and welfare regulations. This would include providing better hands-on training, better knowledge of legislation, and raising awareness of the benefits of certain procedures and standards in slaughterhouses and during transportation. Animal welfare is a multidimensional concept that includes several physical and psychological parameters of the animal. The aim of this study was to assess animal welfare during transportation and in Slovenian beef, pork, and poultry slaughterhouses. A questionnaire was used for this study. Several parameters of animal welfare were rated on a 5-point scale, such as health status, animal behavior, lairage or transport vehicle conditions, and driver regulation compliance. The scale was also used for the second part of the study. This consisted of two studies: (1) self-assessment by slaughterhouse employees and livestock transport drivers and (2) animal welfare observational assessment performed by two veterinarians. The results were compared with each other. Ten large slaughterhouses and nine livestock drivers took part in the survey. The results showed that slaughterhouse employees knew more about animal welfare than livestock truck drivers, but both groups were not sufficiently familiar with animal welfare laws and regulations. This study found that the experts' assessments were generally lower than the self-assessments of employees and livestock drivers. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that there is a need to improve the awareness and knowledge of slaughterhouse employees and livestock drivers regarding animal handling and animal welfare regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Advisory Board on Animal Genetic Resources has published a statement on the draft amendment to the Animal Welfare Act. The board warns of negative impacts on endangered native livestock breeds and biodiversity. In particular, the ban on tethering animals could lead to farms abandoning cattle farming and thus risking the loss of breed populations. The board recommends a longer-term transitional regulation for endangered breeds. Furthermore, the need for clear regulations on the use of facility carriers in breeding is emphasized. Other recommendations concern exemptions for animal breeding shows and the ban on tail docking of lambs. [Extracted from the article]

Although banned in several countries worldwide, dog fighting has remained a challenge, particularly on criminal investigation, recognition, and prosecution. Besides animal cruelty, dog fighting has been controlled mostly by criminal organizations and accompanied by illegal gambling and drug trafficking. While such competitions may be impaired by advances of legislation on animal welfare and media coverage, international organized crime has been migrating to less regulated and enforced countries. The case herein reported a flagrant dog fighting investigation in an international event involving 27 Pitbull dogs in Mairiporã, located 50 km outside São Paulo City, Brazil. An international network of dog fighting was revealed at the tournament, along with presence of organizers from USA, Mexico, and Peru. Proof was obtained on-site about other similar past and future competitions in other Latin American countries. Dogs were rescued, thoroughly examined for signs of animal cruelty, surveyed for potential diseases, and tested positive for visceral canine leishmaniasis. The process conducted by the state hearing resulted in the highest criminal sentence attributed to animal cruelty in Brazil to date, serving as jurisprudence for future prosecutions. Forensic veterinary medicine was essential in this case as a specialty for police and court assistance, leading to detailed and undeniable report of animal cruelty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How and why has invertebrate sentience come to be debated by lawmakers, and what does this development tell us about the relationship between scientific knowledge, animal ethics, and the law? This preliminary analysis of this puzzle examines milestones in the production of knowledges about cephalopods (squids, cuttlefish, nautilus, and octopuses) starting in the 1830s and traces the role this knowledge played in the ideas and debates that led to the inclusion of cephalopods in U.K. animal welfare law. New ideas about mind and consciousness emerged from the interplay between interspecies encounters among people and cephalopods and the gradual revision of ethical obligations toward nonhuman animals more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that even if the dormant commerce clause serves in some sense to establish a uniform national marketplace, there are important reasons to exempt states from participating in that marketplace where moral values are at issue. It provides the doctrinal background for the dormant commerce clause debate. It examines the case National Pork Producers Council v. Ross that presented the question of how the clause should apply to legislation about the ethical treatment of animals.

Simple Summary: Existing cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks the way that policy and law are not the exclusive domain of central government. This can result in an over-simplification or misrepresentation of the true situation. The political culture and institutional arrangements for governing the modern state are more complex than a "one-size-fits-all" approach. It is argued that cross-cultural research needs to give greater attention to differences within as well as between unitary states. Specifically, it needs to examine developments in constituent nations and territories. Here we illustrate this by drawing on new research in the United Kingdom, and examine how 'devolution'—or decentralized government for Wales and Scotland—is providing contrasting opportunities for NGOs, campaigners, and the public to lobby to improve animal welfare policy based on local practices, beliefs, and demands (collectively known as the "political culture"). Our findings show how this is important because it results in contrasting animal welfare policies and laws in the constituent nations of the UK. It is argued that extant cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks or gives insufficient attention to new governance theory, civil society, politics, and the realities of devolved or (quasi-)federal, multi-level governance in the modern state. This paper synthesizes relevant social theory and draws on new empirical findings of civil society accounts of campaigning on animal welfare policies and law in the United Kingdom. It is presented as a corrective to arguably reductive, earlier unitary state-based analyses. Our core, evidence-based argument is that cognizance of civil society activism and the contrasting institutional governance structures and political cultures of constituent nations in unitary states—such as the UK—are providing opportunities for the territorialization of legally grounded animal welfare regimes, and culturally distinctive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the image of the Spanish male hunter has drawn increasing suspicion from more progressive generations eager to question the meaning of such predatorial activity within the context of a more globalized Spain, one that is opening itself to animal welfare legislation and animal ethics discourses. Hare coursing with galgos (Spanish greyhounds) has become one of the country’s trademark forms of interspecies encounter where machoism and a deeply rooted sense of dominant masculinity shape a culture of objectification of nonhuman animals. The aim of this article is to examine the representation of galgueros (the breeders, owners and sportsmen behind the controversy) in two documentaries that are part of a wider animal advocacy media: Irene Blánquez’s Febrero, el miedo de los galgos (2013) and Yeray López Portillo’s Yo Galgo (2018). I argue that within the context of animal ethics discourses, galgueros are effectively embodied by aging, rural men whose ‘traditions’ and communal forms of dog-disposing are represented as outdated, anachronistic practices that are symptomatic of a type of male population affectively attached to an understanding of the cynegetic encounter that is in decline. Using mechanisms of (dis)identification to articulate the representation of the conflict and the stakeholders, the films implicate identity markers of gender and age that intersect with the wider question of interspecies relations and the significance that this bears in the construction of a new Spanish identity that is more sensitized to nonhuman animal otherness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a review of Elizabeth Ellis's book, "Australian Animal Law: Context and Critique." The book examines the deficiencies in Australian animal law and argues that it fails to provide adequate protection for animals. Ellis identifies several key issues, including the arbitrary criteria used to confer protection on animals, inconsistency in regulation and enforcement, conflicts of interest, and the designation of animals as property. The book explores the position of different animals under Australian law, such as companion animals, farmed animals, animals used for entertainment, and wild animals. It also discusses the regulation of animals used in research and proposes reforms for transparency and independent regulation. The review praises the book for its comprehensive analysis and accessibility to a wide audience. [Extracted from the article]

This article argues that EU law can be interpreted to support the current existence of legal rights for animals and nature. While these rights have not been explicitly recognised in law, the prerequisites for doing so already exist in the EU legal order. The theoretical justifications for the protection of animals and nature differ, but the protection of both may benefit from a rights approach. Further, such a rights approach helps address jurisprudential questions pertaining to direct effect and the effectiveness of EU law, and related EU law concepts. In this article, we examine EU animal and nature protection laws to analyse where these laws can be interpreted to assign rights to non‐human natural entities. We argue that the rights animals and nature already implicitly have in EU law should have consequences for how non‐human protections should be implemented and enforced in the EU context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Animal Rights Law" by Raffael N Fasel and Sean C Butler is a comprehensive textbook that explores the complex questions surrounding animal rights. The authors provide an overview of anti-cruelty and animal welfare laws, discuss contemporary efforts to achieve legal rights for animals, and assess the case for granting animals legal personhood. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the philosophical foundations of animal rights, the political aspects of animal rights, and the debate between "thick" and "thin" rights. It also examines the effectiveness of different legal strategies in securing animal rights. Overall, "Animal Rights Law" offers a timely and accessible resource for anyone interested in the subject. [Extracted from the article]

The forced swim test (FST) is a traditional assay, which has been used for more than 40 years to assess antidepressant effects of novel drug candidates. In recent years, a debate about the test has focused on the assumption that the FST is highly aversive and burdening for the animals because of the earlier anthropomorphic interpretation and designation as a "behavioral despair test". The Directive 2010/63/EU and the German Animal Welfare law require a prospective severity classification of the planned experimental procedures. Still, an objective examination of the animals' burden in this test has not been performed yet. To fill this gap, we conducted an evidence-based severity assessment of the forced swim test in rats according to a 'standard protocol' with a water temperature of 25°C. We examined parameters representing the physiological and the affective state, and natural as well as locomotion-associated behaviors in three separate experiments to reflect as many dimensions as possible of the animal's condition in the test. Hypothermia was the only effect observed in all animals exposed to the FST when using this standard protocol. Additional adverse effects on body weight, food consumption, and fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations occurred in response to administration of the antidepressant imipramine, which is frequently used as positive control when testing for antidepressant effects of new substances. We conclude that this version of the FST itself is less severe for the animals than assumed, and we suggest a severity classification of 'moderate' because of the acute and short-lasting effects of hypothermia. To refine the FST according to the 3Rs, we encourage confirming the predictive validity in warmer water temperatures to allow the rats to maintain physiological body temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will ask whether the legal status presently afforded to nonhuman animals ought to influence regulatory debates concerning human cerebral organoids. The New York Courts recently refused to grant a writ of habeas corpus to Happy the Elephant as she was property rather than a legal person while at the same time accepting that she is a moral patient deserving of rights protection. An undesirable situation has therefore arisen in which the law holds a being with moral status to be incapable of benefitting from legal redress due to their legal status as property. The author argues that this is something that we ought to avoid when designing the regulatory framework which will govern the use of human cerebral organoids. Yet, a difference exists in that, whereas the judges already accept Happy is a moral patient, there is presently no consensus around the moral status of organoids. This paper will consider whether human cerebral organoids have passed the moral threshold of sentience. If they have, or are close to doing so, regulators ought to consider their legal status in advance so as to ensure that adequate limitations are placed on this usage so as to avoid unethical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]