Veterinary Obligations to the Animal Kingdom Veterinary Science Program

Objectives This lesson will go over: Cover some of the concepts related to the veterinary profession's ethical duties in the face of animal abuse and animal suffering Their obligations to animals and society

Ethics vs. Laws When a person does something unethical, that doesn't mean that they are doing something illegal Laws are sometimes a reflection of ethics and of how much deviation a society is willing to tolerate from ethical standards Ethical standards tend to have much higher standards than many laws

Public Expectations Intrinsically expected by the public to adhere to the highest level of ethics Regardless of how much leeway the law actually gives Hard work, honesty, compassion, skill, and knowledge are just some of the things the public expects from the veterinary field

Public Expectations of Animal Ethics Americans also demand that animals be treated with the highest ethical standards Animals are part of the family and are considered to be on equal footing with the 'ultimate' animal, Homo sapiens Animal Rights Some believe that pets should be outlawed because it's a form of imprisonment Animal Welfare Most people in this country will agree that animals can and should be used for our benefit and even pleasure as pets, so long as it's done in humane ways Humane means a manner of action that causes the least possible harm to an animal

Animal Welfare The U.S. has outlawed many barbaric acts: Dog fighting Slaughtering of animals for sport

Animal Welfare The U.S. has instituted strict legal and ethical standards on how we can treat animals used for medical testing that benefits humans and other animals Is there an alternative? Can we use fewer animals?

Fact A veterinary professional will be held to higher standards than an athlete when it comes to ethical behavior with animals, because the public expects much more.

Veterinary Obligations If an animal has a disease that can seriously affect human or animal health Report such a disease to a government agency in order to protect society

Veterinary Obligations Animal abuse is seen as purposeful harm to an animal or the failure to take care of an animal properly Most often, it will happen when an owner abuses an animal Sometimes owners admit to this, often they do not, and sometimes they don't even think what they're doing is abuse. A veterinarian has an obligation, and sometimes a legal requirement, to report cases of animal abuse to local authorities.

Veterinary Obligations Animal Abuse To protect the animal Protect other humans It has been shown that people who abuse animals already do, or will most likely begin to, abuse humans, often women, children, and the elderly. Consider animal abuse as just the tip of the iceberg overlying a much deeper problem

Veterinary Obligations An obligation to medically and surgically treat animals and relieve their suffering while the owner has a legal obligation to pay for such services If an animal like a stray is found to be suffering, veterinarians have an ethical obligation to provide pain relief and basic life-saving treatments, even in the face of not receiving any payment for their duties Sometimes, our ethical duty necessitates us to put an animal to sleep to end their suffering.

Question? Purposeful harm to an animal or the failure to take care of an animal properly is called: a. Animal welfare b. Animal rights c. Humane animal treatment d. Animal abuse

Question? Purposeful harm to an animal or the failure to take care of an animal properly is called: a. Animal welfare b. Animal rights c. Humane animal treatment d. Animal abuse

Question? Veterinarians have an ethical obligation to treat animals and to report (to the proper authorities): a. Owners who verbally chastise their cats b. All diseases they spot on an animal d. Owners who forgot to pay their bill today e. Cases of diseases that may threaten public (human) health

Question? Veterinarians have an ethical obligation to treat animals and to report (to the proper authorities): A. Owners who verbally chastise their cats B. All diseases they spot on an animal C. Owners who forgot to pay their bill today D. Cases of diseases that may threaten public (human) health

Question? In some states, it's not only an ethical obligation, but a legal requirement to report cases of: A. The humane treatment of animals B. Owners forgetting to come in for an appointment D. Animal abuse E. Animals verbally chastising their owners

Question? In some states, it's not only an ethical obligation, but a legal requirement to report cases of: A. The humane treatment of animals B. Owners forgetting to come in for an appointment C. Animal abuse D. Animals verbally chastising their owners

Question? The ___ treatment of animals is the treatment of animals in a manner of action that causes the least possible harm to an animal: A. Abusive B. Humane C. Inhumane D. Human

Question? The ___ treatment of animals is the treatment of animals in a manner of action that causes the least possible harm to an animal: A. Abusive B. Humane C. Inhumane E. Human