(ANS2) Animals in Society

The aim of the Animals in Society Research Cluster is to go beyond the anthropocentrism of our current society to one that includes all beings – animal and human. Embracing an interdisciplinary perspective, we seek to expand current interpretations of societal structures and institutions, social norms, practices, policies, and relations that involve humans and other beings. In this open session, we welcome submissions that speak to the cluster goals and approach. Tags: Animals, Environment

Organizers: Sarah May Lindsay, Trent University, Rochelle Stevenson, Thompson Rivers University; Chairs: Sarah May Lindsay, Trent University, Rochelle Stevenson, Thompson Rivers University

Presentations

Abu-Hena Mostofa Kamal, University of Saskatchewan

Recognizing Zooeyia to Promote Companion Animal Welfare in Urban Bangladesh

The One Health concept of zooeyia refers to the benefits of companion animals in human health and is gaining global research attention (Hodgson and Darling, 2011). The One Health framework situates the health of humans, animals and the planet as intertwined. We know within sociology this is equally understood; for example, there is an established ‘link’ between human and animal abuse. Since cruelty towards companion animals is a serious global concern, there is an increased need to focus on companion animal welfare (Cardoso et al., 2017). Research shows that thousands of companion animals are abused each day, although most abuse remains undetected because it occurs in private spaces (Hrubenja, 2022). Additionally, the types of abuse against companion animals and the reasoning behind it varies across demographics and countries. Asian countries have a storied history of companion animal abuse, with much of it unreported (Laybourne,2023). There is no exact statistics available on the companion animal population in Bangladesh in particular, but it appears to have increased in the past few decades (Haroon, 2022). There is also no accurate statistics associated with companion animal abuse or welfare in Bangladesh. Therefore, this exploratory study was undertaken to understand the current status of companion animals’ welfare in Bangladesh through understanding the lived experiences and perceptions of people living with companion animal(s) in urban Bangladesh. Thirty-five qualitative interviews were conducted with companion animal owners (20), animal sellers (10), and livestock service department officers (5) from two major cities in Bangladesh, Dhaka and Khulna. We purposively selected Dhaka and Khulna—both metropolitan areas of Bangladesh—for this study given that the international literature suggests there is a high prevalence of loneliness and fragile social interactions among people living in densely populated cities, which may result in a greater desire for animal companionship (Tan, 2021; Wang, 2018). We applied a combination of snowball and purposive sampling techniques to recruit the participants. The inclusion criteria for companion animal owners were: having an animal in their care for at least one year, living in Dhaka or Khulna during the data collection period, being a Bangladeshi citizen, and being at least 18 years of age. Animal sellers included either owners or employees of a pet animal store and professional companion animal breeding farm owners. All animal seller participants had at least one year of experience selling companion animals. Livestock service department officers had to have been in their employment positions for at least one year. Semi-structured interview guidelines were used to gather information from the participants. Data analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework for thematic analysis, including familiarization, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up. An open coding approach was applied to analyze the data, with no prior code list identified. Rather, the codes were developed based on the research focus, and as we worked through the coding process. Thematic analysis found that historically, animals had a utilitarian purpose, such as livestock for food and dogs for security. The role and perceptions of companion animals began to change for some around the turn of the century. Today, companion animal caretakers report social, psychological, and physical health benefits from integrating companion animals into their lives. They also report that companion animal ownership can contribute to social problems due to the prevailing stigma against companion animals. This is rooted in the continued utilitarian role attached to companion animals by the majority of the Bangladesh population as well as religious-based non-acceptance. As a result, the Animal Welfare Act (2019) is not well implemented, posing a key concern for companion animal welfare. To tackle this, we propose various ways, such as implementing the Animal Welfare Act, updating the Animal Welfare Act where necessary, introducing animal-assisted intervention to promote patient health, and raising awareness about animals’ rights, in which the emerging concept of zooeyia can help promote the welfare of companion animals by challenging the stigma associated with them in Bangladesh. Ultimately, this would help to improve human health as well.

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Non-presenting authors: Colleen Anne Dell, University of Saskatchewan; Timothy Kang, University of Saskatchewan

Aliya Khalid, University of Saskatchewan

Avoidant Attachment Mediates Cultural Differences in Likelihood to Surrender Pets

Many people around the globe consider pets as family members and many pet owners report high levels of satisfaction with their pets, particularly dogs, given their unconditional love, support, and lack of judgement. However, despite the recognition of significance of pets, an estimated 3.3 million pet or stray dogs are annually surrendered to animal shelters in the USA. Similarly, the annual rates of euthanized shelter animals are high in the USA and Australia. When considering factors related to animal surrender, most studies to date have focused on pet-related factors and associated behavioral concerns. In this paper, we investigated the associations among several pet-related as well as owner-related variables/characteristics and the likelihood of surrendering pets by owners in the future in Western (USA, Canada, UK, and Netherlands) and Eastern (Hong Kong and Pakistan) countries across two studies. Taking into consideration the Attachment Theory and types of attachments between owners and pets, we explored both the strength and style of attachment to pets (CENSHARE Pet Attachment Scale; The Pet Attachment Questionnaire), attitudes toward pets (Pet Attitude Scale), and belief in animal mind as predictors of likelihood to surrender a particular pet. Study one included dog owners from the USA, Pakistan, and Hong Kong ( n = 266). Study two included dog as well as cat owners from the countries in first study as well as Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands ( n = 236). The sample for these studies was recruited through an online survey by using snowball sampling through several social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) and through email lists requesting dog owners to participate in the study. The survey was also distributed by the authors to their own networks in the USA, Pakistan, and Hong Kong. For analysis, only those respondents were included who filled out the survey about a pet dog (or a pet cat for Study two) and who indicated their area of residence. Participants were then designated as part of the larger Western (USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands) or Eastern (Hong Kong, Pakistan) sample. Across the samples, results were for the most part replicated. In Eastern countries, participants reported a greater likelihood to relinquish their preferred pet as compared to the Western countries’ sample. The two samples also differed on certain variables, such as the number of reported problem behaviors and concerns for their pets, attachment styles, and belief in animal mind. However, the avoidant attachment style significantly mediated the greater likelihood to surrender a pet across both studies. Furthermore, participants from Eastern cultures were more likely to display anxious and avoidant attachment styles as compared to participants from Western cultures, and this avoidant attachment style was linked to a greater likelihood to relinquish a pet. While this study shed light on cultural differences for the study variables under investigation, future studies should explore reasons for the attachment style differences among pet owners in Western and Eastern countries. Moreover, this study focused on the future likelihood of surrendering pets, which distinguished it from previous studies by allowing for identifying the pet- and owner-related characteristics that could predict future likelihood to surrender, irrespective of whether pets had been surrendered already. This study has further implications for a sustainable and welfare-informed future, given that it is important to explore, identify, and consequently address societal and personal factors contributing to animal surrender, which not only places pressure on shelters and government organizations but also causes significant physical and emotional harm to the pets that are surrendered. Furthermore, identifying factors that contribute significantly to this high rate of surrender may help identify venues of education, interventions, and tangible support which may help reduce surrender rates in the future.

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Non-presenting authors: Jennifer Vonk, Oakland University; Amy Johnson, School of Nursing, Oakland University; Patricia Cameron, School of Nursing, Oakland University; Kar Tat Eddie Lee, Hong Kong Institute of Animal Assisted Interventions

Serena Girard, Thompson Rivers University

Plant-based Foods and Sustainability: Perceptions of Farmers Market Consumers

Anthropocentrism tends to be at the center of human perceptions of food, which neglects the needs of nonhuman living beings. When considering impacts on humans, animals, and the environment (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use), plant-based (PB) foods tend to be more sustainable than animal-based (AB) foods (Poore and Nemecek, 2019; Van Kernebeek et al., 2014; Van Mierlo et al., 2017; Wickramasinghe et al., 2021). The solution might appear to be simple: Minimizing harm from food may be done by reducing AB food consumption and increasing PB food consumption. Both micro- and macro-level factors need to be considered. As there are various barriers for consumers ‘choosing’ more sustainable foods, the onus to simply ‘do better’ cannot only fall on individual consumers. However, the challenge of transparency being in question at a macro-institutional level, including on sustainable foods, complicates the issue. Alternative foods, including PB foods and lab-grown (LG) meats, tend to lack a degree of consumer acceptance for numerous reasons related to concerns and skepticism about taste, texture, health, and social norms, amongst other factors (Arango et al., 2023; Onwezen et al., 2021). Typically, those consumers who identify as women, are younger in age, have more education, live in urban spaces, are left-leaning politically, and are already PB tend to be most acceptant of PB foods (Bryant and Sanctorum, 2021; Deliens et al., 2022; Onwezen et al., 2021). Exploring consumer reasons for consuming or not consuming certain foods may help address how sustainable foods can be better promoted. Consumers at a farmers market ( n = 94) were surveyed to determine their perceptions of PB foods, AB foods, and LG meats. The survey included both quantitative and qualitative sections. The goals were to determine (1) consumer respondent relationships with and differences in food perceptions based on sociodemographic factors; and (2) what consumer respondents think of and how they feel about different foods. The aims are to provide (1) ways to challenge food consumption-related hate and discrimination based on intersectional factors (e.g., species, socioeconomic status, gender, and education) and related social norms (e.g., animal consumption and toxic masculinity); and (2) policy implications to help increase the acceptance of, consumption of, and access to sustainable foods, including PB foods. This study’s implications on sustainable foods takes an ecocentric and power-relation-informed perspective. Macro-level actors (e.g., stakeholders, organizations, governments, and educational institutions) have the responsibility to promote and educate the public on sustainable foods. Micro-level actors (e.g., consumers) may face food-related barriers based on various intersectional factors. Considering the power dynamic between institutions and individuals, it is imperative that both micro- and macro-level actors collaborate in order to move toward the acceptance, consumption, and availability of sustainable foods. Policy reform (e.g., in terms of legislation and education), is needed for the well-being of humans, animals, and the environment which are all interconnected. As the planet does not belong only to humans, we must collectively move toward sustaining our shared planet for not only current generations of human and nonhuman beings, but also for future generations.

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Non-presenting authors: Michael Mehta, Thompson Rivers University; Rochelle Stevenson, Thompson Rivers University

Asiya Khalid, University of Regina

Impact of Ethical Ideologies on Students' Attitude toward Animals -A Pakistani Perspective

Animals play various crucial roles in Pakistan, including as pets, food animals, transport animals, and working animals. However, very little is empirically explored and understood regarding how people view and treat animals in general and how these views affect perceptions and attitudes of animal welfare. The beliefs and cultural norms of a country can influence considerations regarding animal welfare. Among these beliefs, ethical ideologies can have a significant impact on the moral reasoning and decision-making of individuals and their concern for animal welfare. Young adults especially are at a fundamental stage of transitioning into adulthood while also occupying an essential role in the future of their society. This study explored how two components of ethical ideologies, idealism (universal principles for making moral decisions) and relativism (variation in ethical decision-making based on different situations), influenced attitude toward animals’ welfare among undergraduate students. The study used a cross-sectional correlational research design. The study variables were explored through a demographic sheet, Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ), the Animal Attitude Scale—10-Item Version (AAS-10), and Animal Issue Scale (AIS). By using stratified random sampling, the study recruited 450 students from both private and public sector universities in Pakistan. The data was analyzed by using Pearson Product Moment Correlation, independent sample t-test, ANOVA, and linear regression. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between idealism and relativism components of ethical ideologies and positive attitude toward animals. Further, students who less frequently consumed meat reported higher levels of relativism. Students in later years of their program had more idealistic tendencies regarding animal welfare as compared to newer students. Lastly, idealism positively predicted concern for animal welfare among study participants. The current study shed light on how ethical ideologies shaped and influenced concern for animal welfare among students. Previous studies in the US and China showed relativism was negatively correlated with positive attitudes toward animals, which was not found to be the case in the present study. The collectivist culture of Pakistan may account for this difference, given that the collective good was preferred on the whole and situational factors were less accounted for in overall decision-making processes. Beliefs, ethical practices, and culture of a country, especially amongst its emerging young adults, can have a great impact on the treatment extended to animals in various roles, so further research could be beneficial for exploring this domain, with findings of the current study being a starting point in this direction. This understanding, and consequently implementation for change, is crucial for promoting educational awareness and concern for animal welfare, including ‘decision-making competence’ in the future. Further, using ethical ideologies to address sustainability problems and promote a more environmentally conscious society will ensure that all voices are accounted for, especially those that are more likely to be marginalized or ignored, such as those of animals and the future generations.

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Non-presenting authors: Pim Martens, University College Venlo, Maastricht University; Aliya Khalid, University of Saskatchewan