RESUMO

This paper explores the ethical considerations surrounding research on echinoderms, a group of invertebrates that has recently garnered attention in the scientific community. The importance of responsible animal handling and the need for an ethical framework that encompasses echinoderms are emphasized. The 3Rs principle, advocating for the replacement of conscious living vertebrates with non-sentient material in research, is discussed as a guiding tool in current animal research practices. As invertebrates are generally classified as non-sentient animals, the replacement dimension tends to favor them as prevalent models in experimental research. While it currently lacks the means to assess the mental states of invertebrates, there is undeniable evidence of social behavior in many species, suggesting that a lack of interactions with these organisms could potentially adversely affect their wellbeing. In the last few years, considerable progress has been made in developing an ethical framework that takes invertebrates into account, particularly cephalopods, crustaceans, and echinoderms. In this context, we discuss the development of a broader conceptual framework of 5Rs that includes responsibility and respect, which may guide practices ensuring welfare in echinoderms, even in the absence of any particular normative.

RESUMO

Welfare metrics have been established for octopuses in the laboratory, but not for octopuses living in the wild. Wild octopuses are constantly exposed to potentially harmful situations, and the ability to assess the welfare status of wild octopuses could provide pertinent information about individuals' health and species' resilience to stressors. Here, we used underwater photos and videos to identify injuries and stress-related behaviors in wild Octopus insularis in a variety of contexts, including interacting with fishermen, interacting with other octopuses and fish, proximity to predators, in den, foraging, and in senescence. We adapted established metrics of octopus welfare from the laboratory to these wild octopuses. In addition to observing all of the stress measures, we also identified two previously unknown measures associated with decreased welfare: (1) a half white eye flash and (2) a half-and-half blotch body pattern. More than half of the individuals analyzed had arm loss, and almost half of the individuals had skin injuries. We also observed that irregular chromatophore expression and abnormal motor coordination were associated with interactions with fishermen. This is the first study to apply measures of welfare from the laboratory to wild octopuses. Our results may also aid in the identification of welfare measures for other wild invertebrates.

RESUMO

There are, in the literature, distinct ways to approach animal welfare. The objective of this work was to study the value attributed to farm animals in the scientific papers published in animal welfare and animal production journals at three different points in time, separated by a decade each. The first ten papers mentioning "animal welfare" or "animal well-being" in their objectives or hypotheses from each journal and each focus year were selected. The 180 papers were blindly scored by five assessors between 1 and 10, according to the degree of intrinsic value attributed to animals. The overall mean score and standard deviation were 5.60 ± 2.49, with 6.46 ± 2.29 and 4.74 ± 2.40 for AW and AP journals, respectively, and 5.37 ± 2.44, 5.68 ± 2.52 and 5.75 ± 2.41 for the focus years of 2000, 2010 and 2020, respectively. There was an interaction between focus year and publication area: papers from AW journals scored better over time, in contrast with papers from AP journals, for which scores remained similar over decades. The inter-assessor agreement is moderate, which may reflect the subject complexity, as the language used in the papers studied was ambiguous in relation to why and for whom it is performed. The low overall mean score evidenced that the animal welfare scientific publications are, on average, not prioritizing the interests of the animals. Thus, our results evidenced the presence of animal welfarism in animal welfare science, a problem that seems not to be intrinsic to animal welfare science itself, but rather to the way research is frequently conceived, conducted, interpreted, summarized and applied. Therefore, it seems urgent to further study the motivation for animal welfare research. The statement of the main justification for animal welfare papers, with an explicit declaration of the motivational priorities that constitute each scientific animal welfare study, may be an interesting recommendation for the improvement of animal welfare science.

RESUMO

The world is facing an incoming global protein shortage due to existing malnutrition and further rapid increases in population size. It will however be difficult to greatly expand traditional methods of protein production such as cattle, chicken and pig farming, due to space limitations and environmental costs such as deforestation. As a result, alternative sources of protein that require less space and fewer resources, such as insects and other invertebrates, are being sought. The Neotropics are a key area of focus given the widespread prevalence of entomophagy and developing animal welfare regulations. Unlike vertebrate livestock however, insect "minilivestock" are typically not protected by existing animal welfare regulations. This is despite the fact that the evidence is mounting that insects possess "personalities", may experience affective states analogous to emotions and feel something like pain. In this forum article, we highlight this discrepancy, outline some of the emerging research on the topic and identify areas for future research. There are various empirical and ethical questions that must be addressed urgently while insect farming is ramped up around the globe. Finally, we describe the benefits and also potential costs of regulation for insect welfare.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Peixes, anfíbios, répteis, moluscos cefalópodes e crustáceos decápodes são sencientes, e por isso, procedimentos de cultivo e de abate desses animais precisam atender aos critérios de bem-estar. Protocolos de bem-estar têm sido propostos para espécies da aquicultura de relevância econômica trançando novos rumos para atividade, mas infelizmente na maioria das propriedades brasileiras, não são adotados. Nesta revisão, contém informações sobre o cenário atual e os métodos de avaliação de bem-estar dos organismos aquáticos disponíveis na literatura científica, a fim de contribuir para a implantação de métodos, processos e estruturas que garantam o bom estado fisiológico e comportamental durante a vida e morte dos animais em cativeiro. Os dados disponíveis indicam que o estresse, a sanidade, as condições nutricionais e os métodos de insensibilização são os principais indicadores de bem-estar na aquicultura. Portanto, é imprescindível garantir estruturas adequadas ao sistema de produção, protocolos de vacinação, dietas balanceadas compostas principalmente por fontes protéicas de qualidade, depuração pré-abate e métodos de insensibilização que levam à perda de consciência imediata.

Fish, amphibians, reptiles, cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans are sentient, so these animals' cultivation and slaughter procedures must meet welfare criteria. Welfare protocols have been proposed for aquaculture species of economic relevance, tracing new directions for the activity, but unfortunately, in most Brazilian properties, they are not adopted. This review contains information about the current scenario and the methods of evaluating the welfare of aquatic organisms available in the scientific literature to contribute to the implementation of methods, processes and structures that ensure a good physiological and behavioral state during the life and death of the animals in captivity. Available data indicate that stress, health, nutritional conditions and stunning methods are the main indicators of welfare in aquaculture. Therefore, ensuring adequate structures for the production system, vaccination protocols, balanced diets composed mainly of quality protein sources, pre-slaughter purification, and stunning methods that lead to immediate loss of consciousness is essential.

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RESUMO

The evolution of scientific knowledge regarding animal sentience, together with the growing concerns of consumers regarding current production models, has brought with it the responsibility of reviewing many practices carried out in industrial swine farming, with the purpose of improving the life quality of animals throughout the entire production cycle. In this sense, many initiatives have been taken by European Union, OIE and other countries to abolish questionable practices from an animal welfare point of view, being signed through legislation or normative instructions, which guide governments and companies on the best practices to be adopted. Among the main changes that have taken place in swine farming are the ban or reduction in the use of cages for sows, restrictions on the age at weaning, ban on painful procedures such as surgical castration, tail and teeth clipping, as routine procedures or without the use of anesthesia/analgesia. In addition, these acts also prescribe practices that must be adopted in order to respect the natural behavior of animals, such as the use of environmental enrichment. This review aims to address the main advances made over the last few years in the protection of swine, as well as Brazilian initiatives in this regard.

RESUMO

Excessive human population growth, uncontrolled use of natural resources, including deforestation, mining, wasteful systems, biodiversity reduction by agriculture, and damaging climate change affect the existence of all animals, including humans. This discussion is now urgent and people are rethinking their links with the animals we use for clothing, food, work, companionship, entertainment, and research. The concepts of one health, one welfare, and one biology are discussed as a background to driving global change. Nothing should be exploited without considering the ethics of the action and the consequences. This review concerns domesticated animals, including those used for human consumption of meat, eggs, and milk; horses kept for work; and dogs kept for company. Animal welfare includes health, emotional state, and comfort while moving and resting, and is affected by possibilities to show behavior and relationships with others of the same species or with humans. We show some examples of the relations between humans and domesticated animals in the environmental context, including zoonotic diseases, and consider the consequences and the new paradigms resulting from current awareness.

RESUMO

Cognition is a set of activities and processes whereby an animal acquires information and develops knowledge. The most common cognitive processes are: memory, categorization , attention, reasoning and language.  This present research was aimed to study the cognitive ability of livestock based on results of cognitive tests described in the literature, as well to expose the various types of tests applied to make such an assessment, in the periods from 1969 until nowadays. Through this bibliographic study, It was discussed issues related to cognition , sentience and animal consciousness, through preference tests, learning, recognition and memorization applied to domestic animals. In general they show a cognitive ability to evaluate the environment for themselves, based on their preferences and motivations. Cognitive tests have shown the high ability of some species to memorize their handlers"s faces, and recognize who is aversively dealing with. Furthermore, it was possible to prove that some producing species are sentient and their choices able to imply physical sensations that can affect your mental state. Thus, it is important to point out measures to help improve the well-being of the animals.

A cognição é o conjunto de processos pelos quais um animal adquire informações e desenvolve conhecimento. Os processos cognitivos mais comuns são: memória,categorização, atenção, raciocínio e linguagem. A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar a cognição de animais de produção baseado em resultados de testes de cognição já descritos na literatura, bem como expor os diversos tipos detestes aplicados para realizar tal avaliação, desde o ano de 1969 até o momento. Neste levantamento bibliográfico foi discutido aspectos relacionados à cognição, consciência e senciência animal, por meio de testes de preferência,aprendizagem, reconhecimento e memorização aplicados à animais domésticos. Em geral os animais apresentam uma capacidade cognitiva de avaliar o ambiente em relação a si próprio, com base nas suas preferências e motivações. Os testes cognitivos têm mostrado a alta capacidade de algumas espécies em memorizar o rosto dos seus tratadores, além de reconhecer os que os tratam de forma aversiva. Por conseguinte, foi possível comprovar que algumas espécies destinadas à produção são sencientes, sendo as suas escolhas capazes de implicar em sensações físicas que podem afetar o seu estado mental. Assim, torna-se importante apontar medidas que auxiliem na melhoria do bem-estar dos mesmos.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Cognition is a set of activities and processes whereby an animal acquires information and develops knowledge. The most common cognitive processes are: memory, categorization , attention, reasoning and language.  This present research was aimed to study the cognitive ability of livestock based on results of cognitive tests described in the literature, as well to expose the various types of tests applied to make such an assessment, in the periods from 1969 until nowadays. Through this bibliographic study, It was discussed issues related to cognition , sentience and animal consciousness, through preference tests, learning, recognition and memorization applied to domestic animals. In general they show a cognitive ability to evaluate the environment for themselves, based on their preferences and motivations. Cognitive tests have shown the high ability of some species to memorize their handlers"s faces, and recognize who is aversively dealing with. Furthermore, it was possible to prove that some producing species are sentient and their choices able to imply physical sensations that can affect your mental state. Thus, it is important to point out measures to help improve the well-being of the animals.(AU)

A cognição é o conjunto de processos pelos quais um animal adquire informações e desenvolve conhecimento. Os processos cognitivos mais comuns são: memória,categorização, atenção, raciocínio e linguagem. A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar a cognição de animais de produção baseado em resultados de testes de cognição já descritos na literatura, bem como expor os diversos tipos detestes aplicados para realizar tal avaliação, desde o ano de 1969 até o momento. Neste levantamento bibliográfico foi discutido aspectos relacionados à cognição, consciência e senciência animal, por meio de testes de preferência,aprendizagem, reconhecimento e memorização aplicados à animais domésticos. Em geral os animais apresentam uma capacidade cognitiva de avaliar o ambiente em relação a si próprio, com base nas suas preferências e motivações. Os testes cognitivos têm mostrado a alta capacidade de algumas espécies em memorizar o rosto dos seus tratadores, além de reconhecer os que os tratam de forma aversiva. Por conseguinte, foi possível comprovar que algumas espécies destinadas à produção são sencientes, sendo as suas escolhas capazes de implicar em sensações físicas que podem afetar o seu estado mental. Assim, torna-se importante apontar medidas que auxiliem na melhoria do bem-estar dos mesmos.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

A legislação que regulamenta o uso de animais para fins científicos nos países ocidentais segue princípios semelhantes, diferindo apenas em complexidade e extensão. Em geral, a lei protege apenas os vertebrados por considerá-los dotados da capacidade de ter experiências subjetivas como dor e sofrimento. Estudos utilizando parâmetros fisiológicos, neuroanatômicos e comportamentais evidenciam a senciência em invertebrados como cefalópodes e decápodes, dando-lhes o direito de proteção legal em alguns países. Sugerimos uma abordagem de senciência com requisitos elementares, não restritos apenas aos vertebrados. Fatores socioeconômicos e o especismo parecem influenciar a não atribuição de senciência aos invertebrados. Portanto, fica evidente a necessidade de uma análise bioética para fundamentar a inclusão desses animais na legislação. O "benefício da dúvida" é corroborado pelos argumentos da "continuidade evolutiva" e do "princípio da precaução". Nesse ínterim sugerimos que a utilização dos invertebrados para fins científicos seja criteriosa e responsável.

La legislación reguladora del uso de animales para fines científicos en países occidentales sigue principios similares, distinguiéndose en complejidad y extensión. En general, la ley protege apenas a los vertebrados, considerándolos dotados de capacidad de tener experiencias subjetivas como dolor y sufrimiento. Estudios utilizando parámetros fisiológicos, neuroanatómicos y comportamentales demuestran sintiencia en invertebrados como cefalópodos y decápodos, dándoles el derecho de protección legal en algunos países. Sugerimos un enfoque de sintiencia con requisitos elementales, que no se restrinjan únicamente a vertebrados. Factores socio-económicos y el especisismo parecen influir en la no atribución de sintiencia a invertebrados. Así, se hace evidente la necesidad de un análisis bioético para fundamentar la inclusión de esos animales en la legislación. El "beneficio de la duda" es corroborado por los argumentos de "continuidad evolutiva" y "principio de precaución". En ese ínterin, sugerimos que la utilización de los invertebrados para fines científicos sea criteriosa y responsable.

Animal welfare legislation in Western countries follows similar principles, differing mainly in complexity and scope. The legislation basically protects vertebrates, since it considers them capable of having subjective experiences such as pain and suffering. Studies utilizing physiological, neuroanatomical and behavioral parameters indicate that invertebrates like cephalopods and decapods are sentient beings, and thus eligible for legal protection in some countries. We suggest an approach to sentience that uses basic requirements, not restricted to vertebrates. Social and economic factors as well as species seem to influence the non-attribution of sentience to invertebrates. Thus, it is evident the need for a bioethical analysis to substantiate their inclusion in the legislation. The "benefit of doubt" is supported by the arguments of "evolutionary continuity" and "principle of precaution". In the mean time we suggest that the use of invertebrates for scientific purposes should be cautious and sensible.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Sentience is the ability to feel, which is observed in at least all vertebrate animals. In this context, pain is a defense mechanism. Hyperalgesia and permanent suffering may develop if pain is not treated. According to that it is important to recognize and treat pain in animals. In general, the stimuli that produce pain are similar among animal species. The animals used for food production are the ones that have the most suffering during the management for production. Most of these procedures are questionable if they are really necessary. Both prevention and treatment of pain in animals are neglected. The development of the animal welfare science improved the critical senses for the necessity of prevention and treatment of pain in animals. The consumer attention, the good animal production practices and the environmental preservation also increased the demand for the welfare of animals. The animal welfare aggregates value to the product and may improve productivity. It is a human obligation to provide conditions to animals to be submitted to pain procedures with the adequate anesthesia and analgesia. It is also necessary to reevaluate the practices that produce animal suffering.

Senciência é a capacidade de sentir, que engloba pelo menos todos os animais vertebrados. Neste contexto a dor é um mecanismo de defesa, que quando não tratada pode desencadear hiperalgesia e sofrimento permanente. Para tal é importante o reconhecimento e tratamento adequado da mesma em animais. De forma geral os estímulos que causam dor nas diferentes espécies de animais são similares e os animais de produção são os que mais sofrem dor, relacionada ao manejo para produção e aos procedimentos cruentos, muitas vezes questionáveis da real necessidade. Há uma negligência tanto para prevenção como para o tratamento da dor em animais. O avanço da ciência do bem-estar animal aguçou o senso crítico da necessidade de prevenção e tratamento da dor em animais, adicionado ao olhar atento do consumidor, às boas práticas de produção e a preservação ambiental. Desta forma, o bem-estar animal agrega valor ao produto e pode favorecer a produtividade. É dever do ser humano prover condições para que os animais não sejam submetidos a procedimentos dolorosos sem a devida anestesia e analgesia e repensar o uso de práticas que causam dor e sofrimento em animais de produção.

RESUMO

Sentience is the ability to feel, which is observed in at least all vertebrate animals. In this context, pain is a defense mechanism. Hyperalgesia and permanent suffering may develop if pain is not treated. According to that it is important to recognize and treat pain in animals. In general, the stimuli that produce pain are similar among animal species. The animals used for food production are the ones that have the most suffering during the management for production. Most of these procedures are questionable if they are really necessary. Both prevention and treatment of pain in animals are neglected. The development of the animal welfare science improved the critical senses for the necessity of prevention and treatment of pain in animals. The consumer attention, the good animal production practices and the environmental preservation also increased the demand for the welfare of animals. The animal welfare aggregates value to the product and may improve productivity. It is a human obligation to provide conditions to animals to be submitted to pain procedures with the adequate anesthesia and analgesia. It is also necessary to reevaluate the practices that produce animal suffering.

Senciência é a capacidade de sentir, que engloba pelo menos todos os animais vertebrados. Neste contexto a dor é um mecanismo de defesa, que quando não tratada pode desencadear hiperalgesia e sofrimento permanente. Para tal é importante o reconhecimento e tratamento adequado da mesma em animais. De forma geral os estímulos que causam dor nas diferentes espécies de animais são similares e os animais de produção são os que mais sofrem dor, relacionada ao manejo para produção e aos procedimentos cruentos, muitas vezes questionáveis da real necessidade. Há uma negligência tanto para prevenção como para o tratamento da dor em animais. O avanço da ciência do bem-estar animal aguçou o senso crítico da necessidade de prevenção e tratamento da dor em animais, adicionado ao olhar atento do consumidor, às boas práticas de produção e a preservação ambiental. Desta forma, o bem-estar animal agrega valor ao produto e pode favorecer a produtividade. É dever do ser humano prover condições para que os animais não sejam submetidos a procedimentos dolorosos sem a devida anestesia e analgesia e repensar o uso de práticas que causam dor e sofrimento em animais de produção.