Caring About Caring for Animals

INTRODUCTION

Although it is often considered a good thing to care, “caring” relationships are not necessarily helpful or healthy. In many countries, veterinarians have a unique responsibility with respect to caring for animals through their clinical work and it is important that we distinguish between “caring for” versus “caring about” animals if we are to fulfil these obligations. Caring for animals implies an ability to improve their well-being, while caring about animals implies having a feeling for them. Problems can arise if we fail to distinguish between these two types of relationship. For example, many people care about animals and want to help them, but this does not mean that they will necessarily care for them and the results can be disastrous for animal welfare. For example, some individuals who care about animals may set up a rescue or hoard them and keep them in conditions which do not reflect an adequate level of care for them. If we genuinely care for animals we need to recognise the importance of a scientific approach to their welfare and avoid the risk of confusing people’s emotional affections towards animals with the impact this may have on the animals under their care. However, many veterinarians have a relatively limited training in animal welfare beyond its relationship with physical health and historically animal welfare research has focused on the absence of negative emotional states rather than the importance of positive emotional ones. Accordingly good welfare has often been equated with the absence of suffering, rather than the presence of pleasure. There is an enormous scientific literature on stress in animals, but surprisingly little published on their happiness. Ultimately, good health is important in relation to caring for animals, because it improves the way they feel, but we need to appreciate that good health is only necessary and not sufficient for good welfare. If we claim to care for animals we need also to appreciate and promote positive emotional states in them.

WHAT MAKES ANIMALS HAPPY? Since the feelings of others are not directly accessible, it is not possible to answer this question with certainty, but that should not deter us from adopting a scientific approach to the subject. Indeed, to believe that this or any other question can be answered with certainty reflects a failure to appreciate the nature of science and the scientific method, which is focused on reducing uncertainty rather than proving a given case. The scientific principle of triangulation (i.e. using a range of methods to cross validate conclusions) is perhaps the most powerful tool for gaining insight into what is important to other animals.

From this we can recognise a number of important principles that can be applied in practice, such as the following:
• Stressors are defined by their perceived significance [...]