Ethical aspects of re-homing companion animals: results of a Companion Animal Welfare Council inquiry
Ethical aspects of re-homing companion animals: results of a Companion Animal Welfare Council inquiry
In 2008 CAWC surveyed six leading UK re-homing organisations. This revealed an upward trend of cat and dog admissions over the past three years. Between 2007 and 2008, the RSPCA reported a 57% overall rise in animals relinquished to them, from 7,347 to 11,586; a 33% increase for dogs and 50% for cats (Elliott, 2009). Cats Protection reported to CAWC a 77% increase in cats relinquished between January-April 2008 compared to January – April 2007.
The survey aimed to investigate the organisations’ policies and ethical principles regarding:
• assessment and selection of suitable animals for re-homing
• preparation of the animals for re-homing
• assessment of prospective new homes and owners
• advice given to prospective owners
• knowledge and communication skills of the organisational staff
• follow up procedures after re-homing.
The ethical aspects of the re-homing policies are addressed. Re-homing decisions were based on a combination of practical inquiries and ethical criteria. Most organisations require that potential owners will not only provide good homes, but will also care about the animals. Assessments of prospective owners were in terms of well established ethical principles or commonsense intuitions. However, value judgements in the re-homing process will not only relate to perceptions of the animal’s welfare; but extend to notions of integrity and dignity. Further, moral assessment will extend to prospective owners, their families and network of social connexions.
The ethical objective of re-homing organizations is to provide a ‘permanent, caring and loving home’. This is inescapably connected to the pursuit of information and knowledge about the well being of the animal; that the potential love of animals must be linked to informed caring about them. Thus it would seem the ethical standpoint of re-homing organisations is that of ‘care ethics’, rather than the utilitarian position commonly associated with animal welfare science.
Elliott, Valerie, 2008, ‘RSPCA says pets are falling prey to a throwaway society’, The Times, 28th
April.
International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations
McBride, E. Anne
8f13b829-a141-4b67-b2d7-08f839972646
Lamb, D.
62b5b667-3f65-4fbf-bb88-bbc845eaae4a
McBride, E. Anne
8f13b829-a141-4b67-b2d7-08f839972646
Lamb, D.
62b5b667-3f65-4fbf-bb88-bbc845eaae4a
McBride, E. Anne and Lamb, D.
(2010)
Ethical aspects of re-homing companion animals: results of a Companion Animal Welfare Council inquiry.
In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Human-Animal Interaction.
International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations..
(In Press)
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
In 2008 CAWC surveyed six leading UK re-homing organisations. This revealed an upward trend of cat and dog admissions over the past three years. Between 2007 and 2008, the RSPCA reported a 57% overall rise in animals relinquished to them, from 7,347 to 11,586; a 33% increase for dogs and 50% for cats (Elliott, 2009). Cats Protection reported to CAWC a 77% increase in cats relinquished between January-April 2008 compared to January – April 2007.
The survey aimed to investigate the organisations’ policies and ethical principles regarding:
• assessment and selection of suitable animals for re-homing
• preparation of the animals for re-homing
• assessment of prospective new homes and owners
• advice given to prospective owners
• knowledge and communication skills of the organisational staff
• follow up procedures after re-homing.
The ethical aspects of the re-homing policies are addressed. Re-homing decisions were based on a combination of practical inquiries and ethical criteria. Most organisations require that potential owners will not only provide good homes, but will also care about the animals. Assessments of prospective owners were in terms of well established ethical principles or commonsense intuitions. However, value judgements in the re-homing process will not only relate to perceptions of the animal’s welfare; but extend to notions of integrity and dignity. Further, moral assessment will extend to prospective owners, their families and network of social connexions.
The ethical objective of re-homing organizations is to provide a ‘permanent, caring and loving home’. This is inescapably connected to the pursuit of information and knowledge about the well being of the animal; that the potential love of animals must be linked to informed caring about them. Thus it would seem the ethical standpoint of re-homing organisations is that of ‘care ethics’, rather than the utilitarian position commonly associated with animal welfare science.
Elliott, Valerie, 2008, ‘RSPCA says pets are falling prey to a throwaway society’, The Times, 28th
April.
Text
david_final_Re-homing_abstract.doc
- Author's Original
More information
Accepted/In Press date: April 2010
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 146141
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/146141
PURE UUID: 44f02e43-cbc8-4462-ae4d-e2d3ad48f3dc
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 21 Apr 2010 07:41
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 00:54
Export record
Contributors
Author:
D. Lamb
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics