Faunalytics
January 2016
In this study, researchers note that one problem with studying public attitudes is that the general public may be misinformed or unaware of how certain kinds of farming work, and their opinions might reflect these misconceptions. This research, therefore, had the dual goal of both evaluating North Americans' opinions of gestation stalls and also looking at how those opinions might change as they become more informed.
In factory farming, animals of various species are held in cramped and
generally filthy conditions, and a focus on efficiency and profit leads to
minimal animal welfare. Factory farming has increasingly become the norm in
the last several decades. In particular, sows (female pigs) are often housed
individually in very small pens called "gestation stalls" (or "crates").
Gestation stalls are a way to tightly control the movements of sows, who
cannot turn around and in some cases cannot even stand properly. For
farmers, this allows them to feed and keep sows confined and control
breeding and nurturing habits. Alternative approaches such as group pens
allow greater freedom of movement but are unfavourable for farmers because
they allow animals to interact with each other, increasing the chances of
aggressive interactions and potentially damaging profits.
Factory farming is controversial, and rightly so; researchers note that
since "the social sustainability of animal production practices requires
public acceptance, some means of assessing these attitudes is needed for
effective policy." When it comes to attitudinal research about pig farming
specifically, there has been some opinion research among Europeans, but
relatively little is known about attitudes in North American. In this study,
researchers note that one problem with studying public attitudes is that the
general public may be misinformed or unaware of how certain kinds of farming
work, and their opinions might reflect these misconceptions. This research,
therefore, had the dual goal of both evaluating North Americans' opinions of
gestation stalls and also looking at how those opinions might change as they
become more informed.
Based on an online survey covering a variety of topics, researchers found
that, before providing additional information, 56% of respondents supported
group housing, 30% supported gestation stalls, 4% were neutral, and 10%
didn't support either system. Interestingly, because this paper was written
by researchers with a somewhat "pro-gestation stall" perspective, they
predicted that getting more information would actually increase support for
the crates. However, after researching other housing systems, respondents'
support of group housing increased to more than 70%. The researchers
speculate that the "problem" was that "respondents were able to consider as
many different sources of additional information as they desired," and that
the majority looked at images and videos, while a smaller percentage (32%)
said that they read scientific papers or looked at FAQs.
For animal advocates, this study shows that information about the plight of
animals can be a powerful tool in changing public opinion. And public
opinion, in turn, can be a powerful tool in changing policies toward
animals. If people respond in similar ways to the respondents in this study,
then it is quite possible that focused advocacy could result in more and
faster change. That said, it's important to note that 60% of those surveyed
did not change their minds when exposed to new information. How do we reach
those people? Perhaps through an appeal to let pigs behave naturally.
Respondents in this survey placed great importance on "the provision of
social interaction and environments that allow pigs to express natural
behavior," and that gestation stalls as a rule are "unsustainable." This is
great news for pigs and should be encouraging for advocates.
Access the complete article
Public Attitudes to Housing Systems for Pregnant Pigs.
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