A new study examines the available literature on the moral consideration ofanimals in ChinaChina has a huge land mass and the largest human population. It’s home to a vast wildanimal population and is among the largest users of animals globally. For thesereasons, attitudes and policies towards nonhuman attitudes have a large and growingimpact both domestically and internationally. There is little animal advocacy in Chinaand it's essential to research ways to incorporate concern for wild animal suffering asthe movement develops.The objectives, methods, and limitations of this studyA recent literature review examined the current attitudes and legal protection ofnonhuman animals in China. Its purpose is to help animal advocates understand howto effectively expand animal advocacy in the country, with a particular focus on wildanimals. The study, “A literature review of the current consideration of animals inChina,” was conducted by Courtney Henry, Vincent Ya-Shun Chow, and NadineGrinberg, in partnership with Animal Ethics.There is useful work about about animal protection in China and about China’s legal,social, and cultural perspectives on animals but to our knowledge there has not been asystematic review of the literature related to animal advocacy in China, particularlyliterature relevant to wild animals. One limitation of this study is that there is littleliterature relating to how organizations can effectively advocate for wild animals inChina.ResultsThe literature discusses both the plight of animals and perspectives on how it might beimproved. It covers animals in general, animals used for food, animals as companions,and animals living in the wild. The study did not find any literature that directlyaddresses wild animal suffering, though the authors did find discussion of somerelated issues. The literature reflects an increasing interest in the moral considerationof animals. Among academics, there is a rising growing debate about speciesist ideas .The literature indicates suggests how that arguments taken from Chinesephilosophical traditions, such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism can have moreimpact in this debate than the appeal to ideas used in Western philosophical schools.In addition, the review indicates that Chinese animal protection laws are limited, andoften not effectively enforced.Although there is little literature on animal advocacy in China, Although there hasbeen little animal advocacy in China, there has been some positive shifts in attitudesamong the Chinese public towards animals in general, animals used for food, andanimals kept as companions. Young people, educated people, and those who live withcompanion animals seem to be increasingly open to animal advocacy.However, the literature shows little awareness of wild animal suffering as a cause.Species conservation is commonly confused with the protection of wild animals asindividuals. There is not much interest in the wellbeing of individuals except for somecharismatic animals such as pandas.A discussion of the main resultsThe literature reflects growing concern about the moral consideration of animals inChina, and this concern may grow more rapidly in the future due to more favorableattitudes among younger and more educated people. Connecting this growing concernwith Chinese philosophical tradition could help to increase interest in this issue.Animal protection laws and policies are weak and it appears that people concernedabout the suffering of animals have not been able able to influence them. This is notunique to China; countries around the world have inadequate laws to protectnonhuman animals.A major impediment is the conflation of the idea of protecting animals as individualswith conservation of species. This problem is found around the world, and itis presentin China because there is so little discussion there of wild animal suffering. However,among the general public and policymakers, there is a great interest in charismaticanimals such as pandas, and this may provide an opportunity to introduce the conceptof wild animal suffering and the need for research in this area.Another important confusion is between the wellbeing of animals and their survival.This confusion could be reduced by interventions to reduce the suffering ofcharismatic animals such as pandas, interventions which may be well received by thepublic because of favorable attitudes towards these animals. An example would beinterventions to help pandas. Such interventions would require research focused onthe wellbeing of animals as individuals, and would stimulate further research on thetopic. Both favorable attitudes and research are critical to the success of efforts to helpwild animals.Using dogs for food is a controversial issue in China. Although there is no logicalreason to view dogs differently from other animals used for the same purpose,
From action to language: comparative perspectives on primate tool use, gesture and the evolution of human language
