Humane Society Institute for Science and Policy
Not a member yet
6329 research outputs found
Sort by
Sentience criteria to persuade the reasonable sceptic
No full textWhen presented with evidence that Crump et al.’s criteria are satisfied for the animals in some taxon, a sceptic could reasonably continue to suspend judgement about whether those animals are sentient. This is because the criteria refer to abilities which are associated with sentience in humans, but it is not clear that sentience is necessary for these abilities. The criteria could be strengthed by requiring evidence of a contrast in performance between cases in which information is carried by felt and unfelt states
The reality and prevalence of animal sentience
No full textRowan et al use findings from neurobiology, clinical neurology, and general biology to argue for the extensive presence of sentience in animals, but they are wisely cautious concerning when in the phylogenetic scale that emergence occurred
IPCC - Climate Change 2022 - Summary for Policymakers
No full texthttps://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/boocov/1031/thumbnail.jp
IPCC - Climate Change 2022 - Full Report
No full texthttps://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/boocov/1030/thumbnail.jp
Do Emotional Support Animals Actually Help?
No full textU.S. federal law allows people with mental-health disorders to have emotional support animals in college dorms and no-pet apartments. This legislation assumes there are proven benefits of of living with emotional support animals. There is no substantial research that supports the use of emotional support animals in public housing or for air travel
Does Your Dog Really Have a Better Life Than Other Dogs?
No full textIn a recent study, subjects rated the welfare of dogs, ranging from street dogs and fighting dogs to show dogs and personal pets. Nearly everyone thought their dog had a better life than other types of dogs—including other peoples\u27 pets. This finding could be due to a cognitive bias called the Lake Wobegon Effect —the tendency for people think they are above average
Why Do People Think Cultured Meat Is Disgusting?
No full textMeat eaters (35%) and vegetarians (55%) found the idea of cultured meat (meat produced from the cell culture of animal muscle cells) disgusting. The disgust expressed by meat eaters and vegetarians originated from different perceptions. Meat eaters\u27 disgust was influenced by the perceived unnaturalness of cultured meat whereas vegetarians were put off by the source of the cells and the similarity of cultured meat to actual meat
Can Bereaved Pet Owners Suffer Prolonged Grief Disorder?
No full textProlonged grief disorder has recently been added as a new diagnostic category to the American Psychology Association\u27s manual of mental illnesses, usually referred to as the DSM. However, the diagnosis refers to grief at the loss of a person. It excludes grief at the loss of a companion animals and yet there is evidence that people who lose a cherished pet may also experience prolonged grief disorder. Given that over 70 million US households include pets, if even a small percentage of people in those households experience prolonged grief disorder at the death of a pet, then the category would cover several hundred thousand people a year
Vaccinations, Vegans, and the Problem of Moral Consistency
No full textVegans typically not only avoid the consumption of animal products, they also oppose animal research. However, the development of vaccines to prevent or lessen COVID symptoms may be an exception. Various positions are discussed
The Nexus Between Animal Welfare, Environment, and Sustainable Development
No full textThe Nexus between Animal Welfare, the Environment, and Sustainable Development was the focus of a Resolution (sponsored by six African states and Pakistan) passed by consensus at the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) in March of 2022. The Resolution requested the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Executive Director produce a report on the Nexus between animal welfare, the environment, and sustainable development