The Views of the UK Public Towards Routine Neutering of Dogs and Cats

Despite being routinely recommended by veterinarians, neutering of dogs and cats has both positive and negative impacts on animal welfare and is ethically problematic. We examined attitudes of a sample of the UK public towards routine neutering of dogs and cats using a questionnaire. Respondents indicated their level of agreement with statements describing welfare and ethical reasons ‘for’ and ‘against’ the neutering of male and female dogs and cats. We conducted a general linear model (GLM) analysis to investigate the effects of demographic factors on agreement scores. Respondents (n = 451) expressed views both supporting and opposing neutering. The predominant view (>80%) supported neutering, justified primarily by prevention of unwanted offspring and reproductive diseases. Around 10% of the respondents disagreed and felt that neutering should only be done for medical reasons. Men were less likely than women to support neutering (p < 0.001). Those with meat reduction diets were more likely to be against neutering (p < 0.05) and cat owners supported neutering more than non-cat owners (p < 0.05). Although the data reflected a wide range of ethical views, our findings show that the UK public generally supports the routine neutering of dogs and cats. This insight has implications for future policy-making and compliance with veterinary advice.

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On the Record: An Analysis of Exotic Pet Licences in the UK

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10122373 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 2373

Author(s):

Angie Elwin ◽

Jennah Green ◽

Neil D’Cruze

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Local Authorities ◽

Activity Data ◽

Pet Trade ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Wide Range ◽

Data Gaps ◽

Species Groups ◽

The Uk ◽

Exotic Pets

Keeping exotic pets has become a popular habit in the UK in recent decades. Yet, information on the current scale of the trade and the diversity of animals involved is lacking. Here, we review the licensed sale of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals as exotic pets in the UK, identifying current geographical hotspots of trader activity, data gaps, and compliance issues related to this trade. In terms of trade volume, records showed large numbers of individual wild animals, across a wide range of species groups, are being legally sold in the UK. Maximum numbers of exotic pets permitted for sale included 54,634 amphibians, 64,810 reptiles, 23,507 birds, and 6479 mammals. Moreover, nearly 2000 pet traders located in 283 different local authority areas had permission to sell exotic pets. The scope and scale of the trade draws additional attention to the substantial animal welfare challenges associated with it, and our review serves to highlight several shortcomings associated with the licensed exotic pet trade in the UK. Pet shop licences often lacked detailed information about the specific type and number of animals permitted for sale, which raises compliance concerns and hinders efforts to carry out adequate inspection and monitoring. Ninety-five pet traders in England had been given a one star rating, indicating ‘minor failings’ in animal welfare, and some local authorities in England were still operating under the old Pet Animals Act (1951). We recommend that resources should be prioritised and focused towards local authorities in England that are not operating under the new Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations (2018), and that local authorities should improve data reporting on all licenses issued to aid inspection and monitoring.

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EEG-fMRI: Including sleep-induced potentials in the general linear model improves spatial accordance with epileptic focus

Neuropediatrics ◽

10.1055/s-0030-1265591 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 41 (02) ◽

Author(s):

J Möhring ◽

D Coropceanu ◽

F Möller ◽

S Wolff ◽

R Boor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Linear Model ◽

General Linear Model ◽

General Linear ◽

Epileptic Focus

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Settlers or Movers? The Temporality of Past Migrations, Political Inaction and its Consequences, 1945–1985

10.3366/edinburgh/9781474428231.003.0004 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Jozefien De Bock

Keyword(s):

Temporary Workers ◽

Guest Workers ◽

Temporary Migration ◽

Wide Range ◽

Settler Societies ◽

Future Policy ◽

Set Up ◽

Legal Frameworks ◽

Temporary Migrants ◽

Multicultural Policies

Historically, those societies that have the longest tradition in multicultural policies are settler societies. The question of how to deal with temporary migrants has only recently aroused their interest. In Europe, temporary migration programmes have a much longer history. In the period after WWII, a wide range of legal frameworks were set up to import temporary workers, who came to be known as guest workers. In the end, many of these ‘guests’ settled in Europe permanently. Their presence lay at the basis of European multicultural policies. However, when these policies were drafted, the former mobility of guest workers had been forgotten. This chapter will focus on this mobility of initially temporary workers, comparing the period of economic growth 1945-1974 with the years after the 1974 economic crisis. Further, it will look at the kind of policies that were developed towards guest workers in the era before multiculturalism. This way, it shows how their consideration as temporary residents had far-reaching consequences for the immigrants, their descendants and the receiving societies involved. The chapter will finish by suggesting a number of lessons from the past. If the mobility-gap between guest workers and present-day migrants is not as big as generally assumed, then the consequences of previous neglect should serve as a warning for future policy making.

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