Attitudes to animals in Eurasia: The identification of different types of animal protection through an international survey

Meng, Jia, Hanlon, Alison, Handziska, Anastasija, Choe, Byung In, Illmann, Gudrun, Lee, Gwi Hyang, Hou, Hai Yang, Kjastad, Hans-petter, Keeling, Linda, Kennedy, Mark, Alonso, Marta, Aldavood, Seyed Javid, Rehn, Therese, Pelagic, Veselinas Radanov, Lund, Vonne and Phillips, Clive (2009). Attitudes to animals in Eurasia: The identification of different types of animal protection through an international survey. In: , Minding Animals 2009: Programme & Abstracts. Minding Animals International Conference, Newcastle, NSW, Australia, (30-30). 13-18 July 2009.

Author Meng, Jia
Hanlon, Alison
Handziska, Anastasija
Choe, Byung In
Illmann, Gudrun
Lee, Gwi Hyang
Hou, Hai Yang
Kjastad, Hans-petter
Keeling, Linda
Kennedy, Mark
Alonso, Marta
Aldavood, Seyed Javid
Rehn, Therese
Pelagic, Veselinas Radanov
Lund, Vonne
Phillips, Clive
Title of paper Attitudes to animals in Eurasia: The identification of different types of animal protection through an international survey
Conference Paper Type Published Abstract
Conference name Minding Animals International Conference
Conference location Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Conference dates 13-18 July 2009
Proceedings title Minding Animals 2009: Programme & Abstracts
Publisher Minding Animals Australia
Publication date 2009
Start page 30
End page 30
Total pages 1
Language eng
Formatted Abstract/Summary Previous studies of attitudes towards animals suggest that they are far from universal. Some assume a more positive attitude to animals than others. We undertook an international survey of university students (n=4536) over the Internet during Dec 2006 – June 2008 based on probability samplings.

The questionnaire asked respondents about their support for two sets of issues, selected to be generic in nature and not confined to geographical regions:
1) Forty-three Animal Issues: animal uses, welfare, integrity, longevity, experimentation, genetic manipulation, animal-related environmental and societal issues
2) Thirteen World Issues, including: environmental protection, reducing poverty, racial equality, women’s rights and, sustainable development.

Results were weighted by demographic variables and adjusted by tertiary enrolment rates. Four distinct types of animal protection (explaining 33% of total variation) were extracted by factor analysis, with the following ranks of participating nations:

*Animal Welfare — UK> Spain, Iran, Norway, Serbia>China, Czech, Ireland, South Korea, Macedonia, Sweden;

*New Welfarism (Francione, 1996) - UK>Serbia>Macedonia>Spain>China, Czech, Ireland, Norway>Iran, Sweden>South Korea;

*Reverence for Animals — UK>Macedonia>China, Serbia>Spain>Czech, Ireland, South Korea, Norway, Sweden>Iran;

*Animal Rights — UK>Serbia>Macedonia, Spain>China, Czech, Ireland, Iran, South Korea, Norway, Sweden;

All four types of animal protection were closely correlated to the perceived importance of many world issues, but animal welfare was found to be the most consistent predictor of attitudes towards world issues. The results suggest that the prevalent stereotypes of attitudes to animals of different nations are inaccurate.
Subjects 01 Mathematical Sciences
22 Philosophy and Religious Studies
07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
Keyword Attitudes to animals
Eurasia
Animal protection
International survey
Animal welfare
New welfarism
Reverence for animals
Animal rights
UK
Spain
Iran
Norway
Serbia
China
Czech
Ireland
South Korea
Macedonia
Sweden
Animal issues
World issues
Ethics
Q-Index Code EX
Q-Index Status Provisional Code
Institutional Status UQ
Additional Notes Abstract number: OP061, published online only

Document type: Conference Paper
Sub-type: Published Abstract
Collection: School of Veterinary Science Publications
 
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Created: Fri, 06 Aug 2010, 16:11:25 EST by Dr Meng, Jia on behalf of Faculty Of Nat Resources, Agric & Veterinary Sc