A Human Model
Human medicine offers a compelling model for considering potential unintended effects that zoos may have on some of the animals in their care. Some hospitals have challenged widely held presumptions that they only help patients. Many have found that despite good intentions, their efforts can actually result in unintended harm to patients. Internal focus on this led to assessment of unintended consequences in patient care and to many changes that have dramatically affected how some hospitals operate. The Center for Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare and Ethics parallels this work for exotic animals in the care of humans.
Ensuring captive animal welfare
Ensuring that exotic animals in the care of humans experience great welfare requires acknowledgement of fundamental issues:
- Zoos and aquariums have an ethical obligation to understand and ensure the well-being of every animal.
- An individual’s overall mental, physical and emotional state (referred to as welfare or well-being) is determined only by that individual.
- Captive exotic animals must be able to exercise relevant and meaningful control and choice in their lives.
- Good care is not the same as good welfare.
- Constant, rigorous evaluation of captive environments and practices is essential.
- Sharing of information and open dialogue is essential.
In zoos and aquariums, ensuring the well-being of individuals (animal welfare) may sometimes conflict with ensuring the well-being of species (conservation). Animals that are old, non-breeding, or not considered genetically “valuable” are often viewed as competitors for resources. Zoos and aquariums need to move forward as welfare centers, championing compassionate approaches that ensure the well-being of the animals within their organizations as well as for the animals in their field conservation programs. Compassionate conservation is an emerging field that considers the welfare of individual animals affected by conservation practices (e.g., capturing, marking/tagging). Zoos and aquariums are especially well-suited to promoting compassionate conservation.
International Advisory Committee
Ron Kagan, Executive Director/CEO, Detroit Zoological Society
Dan Ashe, President and CEO, Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Kevin Bell, CEO and President, Lincoln Park Zoo
Cynthia Bennett, Ph.D., Associate Editor, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
Sarah Bexell, Ph.D., Director of Conservation Education, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; Research Associate Professor, Institute for Human-Animal Connection; Adjunct, University of Denver
William Conway, M.D., CEO, Henry Ford Medical Group; Executive Vice President, Henry Ford Health System
David Fraser, Ph.D., Professor of Animal Welfare, University of British Columbia
Lori Gruen, Ph.D., William Griffin Professor of Philosophy, Wesleyan University
Dwight Lawson, Ph.D., Executive Director/CEO, Oklahoma City Zoo
David Mellor, Ph.D., Director, Animal Welfare Science & Bioethics Centre; Professor, Massey University
Joel Parrott, DVM, Executive Director, Oakland Zoo
John Racanelli, Chief Executive Officer, National Aquarium
Andrew Rowan, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, The Humane Society of the United States
Ken Shapiro, Ph.D., President of the Board, Animals & Society Institute
Ed Stewart, President/Co-Founder, Performing Animal Welfare Society
Janice Swanson, Ph.D., Director of Animal Welfare, Michigan State University