ETHICAL ISSUES OF USING
(2008 Spring Semester)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: “Considers the ethical issues of
using animals in research, education, for food production and as
companions. Class discussions include the animal welfare/rights
movements, the use of IACUCs, and the
Animal Welfare Act.”
Course Hours: Tuesday
Office Hours: Tuesday
Professor: Dr. L.S. Shapiro, drcows@aol.com , office phone
818-710-4254
Required Text: Applied Animal Ethics 2nd Edition,
by Dr. L.S. Shapiro, Ari Farms Publishers, 2007.
February 26, 2008 - guest speaker, Dr. John Young, on the
use of
animals in Research.
TOPIC
TEXT
|
Why Study Animal Ethics |
Chapter 1 |
|
Philosophy Behind the Animal Rights/
Welfare Movement |
2 |
|
History Behind the Animal Rights/ Welfare
Movement |
3 |
|
The 3 R’s as Applied Practically to Animal
Use |
4 |
|
The Basic Legal System Affecting Animal
Welfare |
5 |
|
Specific Cases of Animal Welfare |
6 |
|
Why Animals are Needed in Research |
7 |
|
Ethics of Animal Use |
8 |
|
Animal Environments and “Agri-ethics” |
9 |
|
Veterinary Aspects of Welfare |
10 |
|
Zoo, Wildlife and Utility Animals |
11 |
|
|
12 |
Suggested Reprint Articles and Misc. Reference Material From All Sides
a. Use of Animals in Biomedical Research.
The Challenge and Response:
An American Medical Association White
Paper, 1992 (revised)
b. Americans for Medical Progress, Inc.
i. An AMP
Intelligence Report - July 1997
ii. Animal Rights: What’s at Stake
iii. Testimony to
the Value of Animal
Research
iv. 21 Things You
May Not Know About the Animal Rights Movement
v. Some Call It Protecting Animal Rights
vi. The Animal
Rights Movement.. In
the words of Its Leaders
vii. Lives Saved
Thanks to Animal Research
viii. Federal
Regulation of Animal Research
ix. The Vital Role
of Animals in AIDS
Research
x. Is This Really What You Believe?
xi. We’re going to
expose the naked truth about PETA tomorrow
xii. The Red Ribbon You’’ Wear Tonight Tells
the World You’ve Made a Choice
xiii. HSUS - PETA Connections
xiv. Some People Just See A Rat. We See A Cure for Cancer
xv. Using Animals in Research is Necessary
c. PETA
i. Companies That Don’t Test on Animals
ii. Companies That Test On Animals
iii. Animals in the Classroom: Lesson in
Disrespect
iv. Animal
Experimentation: Sadistic Scandal
v. Factory Farming: Mechanized Madness
vi. Veal: A Cruel
Meal
vii. Companion Animals: Pets or Prisoners?
viii. Euthanasia:
The Compassionate Option
ix. AIDS: Contagion and Confusion
x. Living in Harmony with
Nature
xi. Xenografts:
Frankenstein Science
d. PCRM
e. The Moral Status of Animals and
Their Use in Research
f. Human vs. Animal Rights.
In Defense of Animal Research
g. Use of Animals in Medical
Education
h. Animals in Research
i. FBR
i. Making
Animal Tests the Scapegoat for Rare Side Effects
ii. Historical
Revisionism and Intellectual Dishonesty
iii. The Payoff From
Animal Research
iv. Making the Case for
Drug Addiction Research
v. The Humane Care & Treatment of
Laboratory Animals
vi. The Use of
Animals in Product Safety Testing
vii. Regulation of
Biomedical Research Using
Animals
viii. The Use of Dogs & Cats in Research & Education
ix. Animal Rights Extremists: Impact on Public
Health
j. Understanding (and misunderstanding) the Animal Rights
Movement in the
k. World Medical Association’s Statement on Animal Use in Biomedical
Research
l. Dr. Temple Grandin
i. Euthanasia and Slaughter of Livestock
ii. Shackling, Hoisting Live Animals is
Cruel
iii. Humanitarian Aspects of Shehitah in the
iv. Principles of
Abattoir Design to Improve Animal Welfare
v. Slaughter, Religious Slaughter and
Animal Welfare
vi. Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines for Meat Packers
vii. Modified
ASPCA Pen Designs
m. Current Ethical Issues Surrounding
Animal Research
n. NAERIC
i. Statement of Purpose, Fact Sheet
ii. AAEP Officials Inspect PMU
Farms
iii. Checks and Balances in PMU Ranching
Ensure High-Quality Care for Horses
iv. North American
Equine Ranching Information Council
Seeks to Inform,
Educate Public About Mare, Foal Husbandry
v. Recommended Code of Practice for the Care
and Handling of Horses in PMU
Operations
vi. Independent Equine Veterinary
Practitioners to Conduct 1,450
Herd Health Review in 96-96 Season
vii. PMU Ranching’s
Veterinary Care Standards Surpass those of
Private Ownership
viii. NAERIC Updates Equine Welfare Committee
at Largest AAEP Convention Ever
ix. PMU Horses Command Record Prices at
x. PMU Ranchers to Benefit From
Breeding Enhancement Program
xi. War on Animal Rights
xii. Rights Stunt Backfires
p. Why the study of animal behavior is associated with the Animal
Welfare Issue
q. The Use of Animals in Medical Research - Are there
alternatives
r. The Importance of Animals in Biomedical
and Behavioral Research
s. Protecting Laboratory Animals
t. Public Health and The Role
of Animal Testing
u. incurably ill For Animal Research (iiFAR)
i. Animals in
Diabetes Research
ii. Meet Our Members
iii. Cats and Medical Research
v. Policy Statement: Dissection of Animals in the Classroom
(Educators for Responsible Science)
w. Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
(American Association for Laboratory Animal
Science)
GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATION
AND RESEARCH PAPER (skits from
spring 2008)
Each student will present a researched topic on ethical issues using
animals. During the Spring 2008
semester each student will present it orally (in a group of four
students). The presentation shall include both sides of the ethical
argument. Costumes, comedy, posters, props, animals,
and equipment may be used to enhance your presentation. Neither
side of
the argument should have a clear "winner" or "loser." The purpose
of the
assignment is not to prove "your case" but to demonstrate the facts and
emotions
or passions of both sides of the argument. A typed outline
is due no
later than
Oral presenters will be judged on the following:
1. Organization of Presentation (10%)
2. Balance of Ideas Covered in Presentation (10%)
3. Visuals (Clarity and Appropriateness) (10%)
4. Rate and Smoothness of Delivery (10%)
5. Ability of others to Comprehend
the Presentation (10%)
6. Depth of Material Covered (15%)
7. Overall Impressions of Topic and Presentation
(25%)
8. Quality of Written Abstract (10%) - due one week before Oral
Presentation
Written Presentations
A typed outline of your oral presentation should be handed in no
later than
Your paper should include endnotes referencing at least 3 peer reviewed
journal articles or their equivalent (instructor approval) that use
factual data (not emotional hype) to defend your hypothesis. The
purpose of your paper, oral report, or poster presentation is to
encourage you to make your own best arguments for your own conclusions
on a very controversial topic.
Written Paper (not required for Spring
2008 semester)
Your paper should focus on some topic concerning the use of animals or
your views about animals. Topics can include vegetarianism,
product testing using animals, biomedical research, religious views of
animals, the environmental impact of factory farming, treatment of
animals in the wild, ethical justifications for zoos and aquariums,
euthanasia and proper treatment of surplus animals, hunting,
exhibits and performances involving captive animals, etc. You
must do more than
simply restate the views of others. I want you to defend your own
views,
using relevant facts or data that you
have researched.
You may want to interview animal researchers, members of organizations
such
as PETA, Humane Society, or FBR,
vegetarians,
rodeo athletes, etc. Your paper must include, however, cited
reference sources that are published and not simply propaganda released
from various organizations. In other words, use journal articles,
texts, newspaper and magazine articles (not just editorials) that cite
historical data. Please check with me BEFORE you start to
make sure you have picked a proper subject and one that you
can obtain adequate reference material on.
EXTRA CREDIT
Poster presentations will be accepted for extra credit.
Presentations should be based on original work (don’t go to PETA or AMA
and borrow one of
their already put together presentations). Your poster
should be mounted on 45” by 45” poster boards and should be laminated
or covered with some type
of impermeable plastic. The top of the poster space should
include your
abstract. The lettering for this section should be at least 1”
high.
All illustrations must be readable from distances of 3’ or
more. Charts, drawings, and illustrations should include
color (when possible). Keep
text and figure legends short, but DO NOT omit them.
Include a typed (at
least 3/8” high) short and legible “introduction” chart and a “summary
of
conclusions” chart. Each illustration, drawing or picture should
convey
only one main idea. The purpose of the illustrations, drawings
and charts
is to increase interest and attentiveness, to clarify or emphasize an
idea.
These diagrams should also increase recall of your presented
information.
Do NOT overcrowd your poster board with too many diagrams.
Express your
ideas in as few words as possible. Be critical of print size and
contrast
of drawings.
A poster board presentation is unacceptable if it contains
grammatical errors and/or meaningless statements such as “I intend to
show,” contains typing errors, has a type size smaller than 12 point
(this page is 12 point), presents an emotional viewpoint without the
inclusion of data, diagrams, facts showing “the other side.” Do not
include pictures, photographs of
mysterious origin, or photos that were staged. Be sure to date
all photos,
cite location, and person taking the photo, etc.
Examples of acceptable poster presentation topics include:
1. Kosher killing of animals
2. Slaughtering of animals using a captive bolt
stun gun
3. Rodeo animals, their care, treatment,
and injuries
4. The Draize test
(need for, abuses of, rational for and against)
5. Proper use of the IACUC (a step by
step analysis, description of, critique)
6. Zoo animals, their care, treatment and
need to be in captivity
7. Aquariums, their need, treatment and
care of animals.
Please remember that we do NOT have to agree in this course and I do
NOT grade on how close a student agrees with my conclusions (when I
give them). Hopefully we will be able to establish a common framework
that even with varying experiences and viewpoints can be used to
converse with each other about animal ethics. That is my goal.
Researching the Topic
The following resources may prove useful as you research your
presentation and should be available at our Department Library, College
Library or one of the libraries at CSUN, USC, UCLA or local research
facility.
1. Books - check card catalog of the library under the following
headings
2. Periodicals - indexes list the articles that
have been published in magazines, journals, and other
periodicals. Each index is limited to a specific range of
periodicals. The following indexes list articles that relate to
the use of animals in research.
- Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature - this index
lists articles published in general interest
magazines, such as Time, Newsweek, Scientific American. Relevant articles can
be found under the following subject headings:
- Index Medicus
- is a bibliography of medical journals and lists a wide range of periodicals related to the field
of medicine. Relevant articles can be found
under the following subject headings:
-Social Science Index - lists
journals in the field of social science, such as
psychology and sociology. Relevant articles
can be found under the following subject heading:
-Applied Science and Technology Index
- includes journals in the hard science fields, such
as engineering, chemistry,
and physics. Relevant articles can be
found under the following subjects:
- Biological and Agricultural Index -
contains listings from journals dealing with life
sciences, such as animal science, biology, and
biochemistry. Relevant articles can be found under the
following headings:
METHOD OF EVALUATION
1. Midterm
Exam
100 points
2. Class Participation (up
to)
25 points
3. Report
(Oral/Written)
50-75 points
4. Final
Exam
(
5. Farm Walk (
must participate
points to be determined
Total
points
350-400 points
Maximum Extra Credit = 35
points.
All extra credit must be turned in NO LATER than
Attendance (3 “tardies” = 1 absence, 3 unexcused absences can =
a Fail). It is the student’s responsibility to drop any class
after the 1st session not the faculty.
PREFACE
The purpose of this course is NOT to change beliefs, but to induce
tolerance of different and often emotionally charged opposing
views. As a hopeful dividend, the reading of your assigned text
and the teaching of this course may also result in a more humane
treatment of both animals and humans.
Applied Animal Ethics, 2nd Edition,
will instruct a serious student in the technique of gathering data,
reading and creating statistical diagrams and charts, researching not
only one’s preconceived notions, and most importantly, the calm
dissection of what will probably be disturbing alternative beliefs and
interpretations of data. Statements commonly held to be
sacrosanct
will be critically analyzed for scientific proof. Even pictures
and other illustrations will be
examined as to relevance and authority. [e.g.
Was a picture “staged”? When and where was it taken? By whom and for what purpose?]
Readers of Applied Animal Ethics 2nd Edition,
may be disappointed by not finding a definitive statement by the author
on “ethics” (e.g. whether animals should or should not be used in
research; what animals should be
eaten by man, if any; how such animals should be slaughtered and under
what
conditions, etc.) This is for the reader to decide. Applied
Animal
Ethics 2nd Edition, does NOT pontificate for Hinduism or
Jewish Orthodoxy,
for the American Medical Association or for the American Fund for
Alternatives
to Animal Research. It is for the reader to form his own ethical
standards. Probably very few students will change their views
after studying this book and its suggested avenues for further
research. This is all well and good. What will be derived
from this text is an understanding and acceptance of the fact that all
groups dealing with the various phases of the treatment of animals (and
humans) are driven by humane interests even if their end
goals may be entirely opposite of one another.
This text combines a basic background in theoretical ethics with the
applications of controversial philosophies. It is in the
application of beliefs that
we can really understand the full implications of what some might call
“dogma,” but which to others might be considered “revealed
truths.” Applied Animal Ethics 2nd Edition,
presupposes that we are and will continue to use animals in research,
to slaughter and to eat. However, a full discussion of what is
humane, what is abuse, what is extreme behavior will be encouraged and
the vegetarian and the meat-eater, the anti-vivisectionist and the
researcher - all will have their full say. Perhaps only in
One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, …. . eats only
vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down
on him who does not. And
the man who does not eat everything, must
not
condemn the man who does (Romans 14:2-3).
I would particularly like to thank and
specifically commend to my students for material and viewpoints
of the following organizations and institutions which have provided
much of the stimulus to make this book look more applicable and
proactive: PETA (People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals), American Medical Association, American
Veterinary Medical
Association, California Biomedical Research Association,
Foundation for
Biomedical Research, Animal Welfare Information Center, United States
Department
of Agriculture, Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW),
Americans
for Medical Progress Educational Foundation (AMPef),
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), National Institutes of
Health,
Hastings Center, Commission on Life Sciences Institute for Laboratory
Animal
Resources (ILAR), Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing
(CAAT), American
Fund for Alternatives to Animal Research (AFAAR), Center for
Animals in
Public Policy (Tufts University), U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services,
Educators for Responsible Science, UC Center for Animal Alternatives,
The
Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University and various
universities
that teach similar courses in Animal Ethics will be
discussed. By no
means is this list complete in the information available to
you. Additional
information from various government and other reliable
sources may enhance
your understanding of animal ethics.
L.S. Shapiro, 2007
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I want to
especially thank the animal caretakers and
scientists at Amgen, Inc. for allowing me to intern through their
research
facility. The experience gave me first-hand knowledge of “typical”
modern day
animal research. Dr. Barbara Orlans at
With this second edition of Applied
Animal Ethics, I have tried to include a taste of the controversy
that
exists in training, housing, and using exotic animals in entertainment
and
education. Many of my students, during the past thirty years, have
dreamt about
working with “lions and tigers and bears” not even realizing the
controversial
nature of caring for these beautiful but dangerous wildlife. Television
and
movies have made elephants and tigers look docile and friendly. I would
like to
thank the input and insight I have received from the teaching staff at
Moorpark
College’s Exotic Animal Training and Management Program, Dr. Becky
Yates –
formerly of the National Zoo in Washington, DC, Kari and Gary Johnson
of Have
Trunk Will Travel, and the thousands of former students who have
demonstrated
successfully the humane care of exotic and zoo animals.
Most of
all, I want to thank my friend the dairy cow. This may seem a bit
strange for a
professor to do. However, the close relationship I had (for 19 years)
as a
dairy farmer gave me a deeper appreciation for the feelings, thoughts,
and
needs of animals. The dairy cow responds to kindness by producing more
milk,
better conception rates, and healthier udders. The kinder, gentler and
cleaner
one is, the more profitable the dairy business becomes. Too bad all
businesses
can’t be run in such a fashion. Or can they??
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~
Immanual Kant
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of this syllabus