Animal Welfare

Man controls and dominates the habitat of most animals, both domestic and wild and there is a need for a pragmatic, workable approach to the problem of reconciling animal welfare with economic forces and the needs of man. It is the author's contention that much of the current philosophical discussion of animal welfare is misdirected now that it is possible to measure to some extent what animals think and feel and how much they can appreciate their quality of life. The book deals with farm animals, pets, wild animals and laboratory animals and dicusses their environmental requirements, fear and stress, their response to pain, injury, disease and death, behaviour and aggression, and the implications of biotechnology and genetic engineering. Finally, the book tries to reconcile reverence for life with the inescapability of killing and reviews the prospects of preserving and enhancing quality of life for animals through legislations, education, economic and moral incentives.

Preface; Part I: Introduction - Man's Dominion Over the Animals; Introduction; Man's Dominion; Part II: Analysis - How Is It For Them?; Animal Mind and Aminal Suffering; Hunger and Thirst; Housing and Habitat; Pain, Sickness and Death; Friends, Foes; Fears and Stress; Part III: Advocacy - What We Can Do For Them; Farm Animals; Pigs and Poultry; Cattle and Other Ruminants; Horses and Pets; Wild Animals; Animals and Science; Right Thought and Right Action; Further Reading; Index