Attitudes toward animals?

lotsocats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
May 30, 2001
Messages
5,481
Purraise
17
Location
Out Yonder in Kentucky
I have been away from TCS for a while and am so happy to have a chance to come visit again. So Hello to all you new folks and to all of my old friends!

In August I am going to present a paper in Regensburg Germany in which I will discuss people's attitudes toward animals, with an emphasis on cultural differences in attitudes. I have found tons of research looking at U.S. American attitudes toward animals, but have found next to nothing about the attitudes of people in other countries. So, I thought TCS would be the perfect place to get some first hand information.

So....here are my questions:

1. How do you view YOUR relationship with your companion animals?

2. How would you describe the typical person in your country's relationship with animals? How do they think about animals? How do they treat animals?

3. How do you think your country or state government views animal maltreatment? Do they take it seriously or is it pretty much ignored?

4. Do you think that your country is making improvements in how it treats different types of animals (farm animals, wildlife, companion animals)?

I would love information from everyone who wants to respond and would particularly like to hear from people outside the U.S.A.

Thanks for your help!

Renae
 

rosiemac

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 3, 2003
Messages
54,358
Purraise
100
Location
ENGLAND... LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY!
Originally Posted by lotsocats

I have been away from TCS for a while and am so happy to have a chance to come visit again. So Hello to all you new folks and to all of my old friends!

In August I am going to present a paper in Regensburg Germany in which I will discuss people's attitudes toward animals, with an emphasis on cultural differences in attitudes. I have found tons of research looking at U.S. American attitudes toward animals, but have found next to nothing about the attitudes of people in other countries. So, I thought TCS would be the perfect place to get some first hand information.

So....here are my questions:

1. How do you view YOUR relationship with your companion animals?

My relationship with Rosie and Sophie is as if they were my children. They are part of me as far as i'm concerned because they give me unconditional love, and if anyone ever harmed them then i would seriously take the law into my own hands!


2. How would you describe the typical person in your country's relationship with animals? How do they think about animals? How do they treat animals?

The UK is known to be a nation of animal lovers, but like everywhere else it has it's fair share of cruelty cases
but people i know here who have animals themselves are like me and class them as part of the family.

3. How do you think your country or state government views animal maltreatment? Do they take it seriously or is it pretty much ignored?

The RSPCA take cruelty cases very seriously, infact more seriously than ever before, but thats the only thing i support them for because they still have the policy where they keep an animal for so long before putting it to sleep, and this is why i put my donations towards The Cats Protection because it's a no kill organisation.

4. Do you think that your country is making improvements in how it treats different types of animals (farm animals, wildlife, companion animals)?

Again yes, the RSPCA

I would love information from everyone who wants to respond and would particularly like to hear from people outside the U.S.A.

Thanks for your help!

Renae
..
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

lotsocats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
May 30, 2001
Messages
5,481
Purraise
17
Location
Out Yonder in Kentucky
Thanks for your response. I hear that the European Union is setting up some pretty strict policies against mistreatment of farm animals and that this is causing trouble with some of the Eastern European countries that want to join the EU. Do you know whether the UK is joining in on these new policies?
 

rosiemac

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 3, 2003
Messages
54,358
Purraise
100
Location
ENGLAND... LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY!
I'm not to sure but i can try and find out because i registered with the RSPCA's website a few weeks ago so i can send them that question to see if they can shed some light on it?!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

lotsocats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
May 30, 2001
Messages
5,481
Purraise
17
Location
Out Yonder in Kentucky
Thanks Susan, but don't go to the trouble. I'm really much more interested in "real people" attitudes -- like yours!
 

ash_bct

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
2,352
Purraise
1
Location
Alberta, Canada
1. How do you view YOUR relationship with your companion animals?

My animals are simply are part of my family. I treat them the only way I know how, with love, respect, and unconditional love. The same that I get from them.

2. How would you describe the typical person in your country's relationship with animals? How do they think about animals? How do they treat animals?

More or less, I think Canada is a nation with love and respect for animals, but as anywhere there are those that are cruel people. When these cases are made public, though, there is genarally outrage and strong support for the animal who was abused.

Not long ago there was a petition done by IFAW Canada for Krista, a kitten who was severly abused. Millions of signatures were recieved.

3. How do you think your country or state government views animal maltreatment? Do they take it seriously or is it pretty much ignored?

Things seem to get better every year. Laws are being re-written, and punishments harsher for the people who abuse an animal. After Krista's petition the government seems to be taking notice that we care for and love our animals.

4. Do you think that your country is making improvements in how it treats different types of animals (farm animals, wildlife, companion animals)?

Again with the government finally making changes, and people more actively supporting changes, I think we are improving. Also Universites are helping imform more and more people about animals. EX. http://www.agsci.ubc.ca/animalwelfare/

Organizations such as the SPCA are always making people aware that animal abuse needs to stop and we are listening


Hope that helps you!
Ashley
 

jennyr

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
13,348
Purraise
593
Location
The Land of Cheese
1. How do you view YOUR relationship with your companion animals?

My animals (right now three cats but in the past it has included horses, birds and a dog) are totally dependent on me for their well being and honour me in return with unconditional love. We share a living space and each contribute to our relationship. I see all my animals as individuals and I try to respect their personalities much as I would my human friends.

2. How would you describe the typical person in your country's relationship with animals? How do they think about animals? How do they treat animals?

Most people in Bosnia treat animals as either commodities to be eaten or worked, or else as pests and totally disposable. This goes from the government downwards. The National Stud of Lipizaner horses is literally being left to starve (see my web site), cats are routinely shot in culls in the city streets, and pet dogs are dumped in the hills around the city (including where I live). There is a dog patrol but the dogs are gassed as soon as they are caught. There is no animal shelter or animal welfare organisation. Having said that, I do have friends who own dogs and adore them. I know no Bosnian who allows a cat in the house.

3. How do you think your country or state government views animal maltreatment? Do they take it seriously or is it pretty much ignored?

It is ignored. The government also treats animals badly. The only exception I know is veal calves, who are reared free range, unlike many places.

4. Do you think that your country is making improvements in how it treats different types of animals (farm animals, wildlife, companion animals)?

I don't think it is on their list of priorities -- there is too much human misery.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

lotsocats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
May 30, 2001
Messages
5,481
Purraise
17
Location
Out Yonder in Kentucky
Bosnia sounds very much like what I have read about Greece and Turkey. Do you think that if the Bosnian economy was better that people would think more highly of animals? (for example, If there isn't enough money to feed your children, it would be difficult to spend money feeding an animal.)
 

jennyr

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
13,348
Purraise
593
Location
The Land of Cheese
Bosnia has 70% unemployment, and is only slowly recovering from war. Farm animals are appearing again - when I first came in 1994 there was not one to be seen in the fields. Now there are cows, sheep and goats, and also the occasional pony pulling a cart. They are often ill-treated - a friend and I are currently trying to persuade a gypsy to sell us his pony who looks really abused. But if we rescue it he will only buy another one. Cats certainly have a rough time here - people truly regard them as vermin, and the culture will not allow them in the house. But I have to be careful not to be seen spending too much on my cats - I once got in terrible trouble in the market for saying I needed goats milk for a sick cat - it is expensive by standards here, and people cannot buy it for their children.
 

yayi

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Oct 9, 2003
Messages
12,110
Purraise
91
Location
W/ the best cats
I have been away from TCS for a while and am so happy to have a chance to come visit again. So Hello to all you new folks and to all of my old friends!

In August I am going to present a paper in Regensburg Germany in which I will discuss people's attitudes toward animals, with an emphasis on cultural differences in attitudes. I have found tons of research looking at U.S. American attitudes toward animals, but have found next to nothing about the attitudes of people in other countries. So, I thought TCS would be the perfect place to get some first hand information.

So....here are my questions:

Hi! Nice to see you are back!

1. How do you view YOUR relationship with your companion animals?
They're my family! They're very important in my life. You can say life is meaningless without them.

2. How would you describe the typical person in your country's relationship with animals? How do they think about animals? How do they treat animals?
In my opinion, a typical Filipino is not animal friendly in the same terms as in the West. I believe it is not intentionally cruel but more of ignorance. There is also the matter of priorities. Because of economic difficulties, Filipinos have no choice but to put family and self over the animals.

3. How do you think your country or state government views animal maltreatment? Do they take it seriously or is it pretty much ignored?
There are laws in the Philippines and in the constitution, protecting animal rights and welfare. However, like in other Third World countries, enforcing the laws is a problem. Greed and corruption are another major blocks to animal protection here. I should also mention the example of "cockfighting" I believe it is a cruel sport. But it is so ingrained as a cultural tradition that I don't think it will ever be stopped.

4. Do you think that your country is making improvements in how it treats different types of animals (farm animals, wildlife, companion animals)?
Yes, specially with the help of the private sector. Organizations like CARA (Compassion & Responsibility for Animals), Animal Kingdom, Philippine Animal Welfare Society, etc. are all working towards better treatment of animals. By using the media, the internet, and tie ups with international organizations like WWF, animals here are getting the protection and respect they deserve.

I would love information from everyone who wants to respond and would particularly like to hear from people outside the U.S.A.

Thanks for your help!

Renae
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

lotsocats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
May 30, 2001
Messages
5,481
Purraise
17
Location
Out Yonder in Kentucky
We just had a HUGE arrest (almost 300 people) for cockfighting here in Kentucky. It is such a savage sport!

I'm glad to see that there are so many agencies involved in animal welfare over in the Phillipines!

Thinking of the difficulties people in Bosnia and the Phillipines have due to poverty and unemployment it is understandable that animals would be low on the list of priorities for people. What amazes me is that in a country as "wealthy" as the USA we still see so much maltreatment of animals. With that said, I think that most people in the US view their pets as family members. In fact one study found that US Americans spend more money on pet food than on baby food and that the majority of pet owners buy birthday and Christmas gifts for their pets. That sure is different from what Jennyranson tells us about Bosnia where cats aren't even allowed in the house!
 
Top