1. Veterinary Obligations to the Animal Kingdom
Veterinary Science Program

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

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

7. 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?

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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