Analysis of reported animal abuse in Campo Magro, Paraná, Brazil / Análise de denúncias de maus-tratos aos animais no município de Campo Magro, Paraná

Animal abuse is a criminal offense in Brazil and can be dealt with by several government agencies, including municipal ones. Cases of animal abuse reported to the Department of Health Surveillance, of the Municipal Health Secretariat of Campo Magro, Paraná, Brazil, between March of 2019 and December of 2020 were analyzed to assess the most common forms of abuse and animals involved. A total of 140 complaints were received in this period; 132 were investigated, of which 81 were considered authentic. The most common form of abuse was neglect 64.2% (52/81). Cases of neglect were further classified into four types (although cases may be classified with more than one type), resulting in 106 classifications of neglect. Behavioral neglect was the most common form of neglect 33.9% (36/106). As more than one animal could be involved in each report, the 81 authentic cases involved a total of 471 animals. Dogs were the species most commonly affected 78.5% (370/471). The vast majority of animal abuse was perpetrated against adult animals. Statistically significant correlations were found between the sex and age of dogs and abuse and between species and the different forms of abuse for dogs and cats.(AU)

Os maus-tratos aos animais são considerados crime no Brasil e o atendimento desse tipo de ocorrência pode ser realizado por diferentes órgãos governamentais, incluindo os municipais. O presente trabalho analisa denúncias atendidas pelo Departamento de Vigilância em Saúde, da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Campo Magro, Paraná, Brasil, entre março de 2019 e dezembro de 2020 e avalia os tipos mais comuns de maus-tratos a animais e os animais envolvidos. Um total de 140 denúncias foram recebidas e 132 foram fiscalizadas, destas, 81 foram consideradas procedentes. A forma mais prevalente de maus-tratos foi a negligência com 64,2% (52/81). Os casos de negligência foram classificados em quatro diferentes tipos (cada caso pode ser classificado em mais de um tipo de negligência). O tipo mais frequente foi a negligência comportamental com 33,9% (36/106). Como mais de um animal podia estar envolvido em cada caso de maus-tratos, os 81 casos procedentes contabilizaram 471 animais envolvidos. A espécie canina foi a mais afetada, sendo 78,5% (370/471). A maior parte dos casos de maus-tratos foram cometidos contra animais adultos. Correlações estatísticas significativas foram encontradas entre o sexo e faixa etária dos cães em relação à ocorrência de maus-tratos e, também, entre a espécie e os diferentes tipos de maus-tratos para cães e gatos.(AU)

Progress in animal experimentation ethics: a case study from a Brazilian medical school and from the international medical literature / Progresso na ética em experimentação animal: o estudo de caso de uma escola médica brasileira e da literatura médica internacional

PURPOSE: This study describes in Brazil and in the global biomedical community the time course of the development of animal research welfare guidelines. METHODS: The database of the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto (EC/FMRP-USP), Brazil, was surveyed since its inception in 2002 as the regulations became more stringent to provide better protection of animal research welfare at this institution. Medline database was evaluated to identify the number of publications in the period between 1968 and 2008 that used research animals and were in compliance with established ethics guidelines. RESULTS: The EC/FMRP-USP evaluated 979 projects up until 2009. Most of the applications came from Department of Physiology and the most frequently requested species was the rat. In 2004, national research funding agencies started to request prior approval from institutional review ethics committees prior to application review and this requirement became federal law in Brazil in 2008. The analysis of international publications revealed a relative reduction in studies involving research animals (18% in 1968 to 7.5% in 2008). CONCLUSIONS: The present work showed that in the last four decades major changes occurred in the guidelines dictating use of research animals occurred and they are being adopted by developing countries. Moreover, animal welfare concern in the scientific community preceded the introduction of journal guidelines for this purpose. Furthermore, in Brazil it was anticipated that laws were needed to protect animal research welfare from being not upheld.

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar a evolução da pesquisa com animais no Brasil e na comunidade biomédica mundial. MÉTODOS: O banco de dados do Comitê de Ética da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (CE/FMRP-USP), Brasil, foi analisado desde a sua criação em 2002, bem como a legislação regulatória para pesquisa com animais no país. As publicações do período de 1968 a 2009 do banco de dados Medline foram avaliadas para identificação do uso de animais em pesquisa e da aderência às regulamentações de ética. RESULTADOS: O CE/FMRP-USP avaliou 979 projetos até 2009, sendo a maioria das solicitações do Departamento de Fisiologia e o rato a espécie mais utilizada. Em 2004, as agências nacionais de incentivo a pesquisa começaram a exigir a aprovação prévia de comitês de ética e este requerimento se tornou Lei Federal no Brasil em 2008. A análise de publicações internacionais revelou uma redução no número de estudo envolvendo pesquisa com animais (18% em 1968 to 7,5% em 2008). CONCLUSÃO: O presente estudo mostrou que, nas últimas décadas, importantes mudanças na regulamentação do uso de animais em pesquisa e estão sendo assimiladas nos países em desenvolvimento. A preocupação com bem estar animal pela comunidade científica precedeu a introdução de regras pelas revistas e, no Brasil, antecipou a regulamentação federal.

Animal experimentation: a rational approach towards drug development.

Man's observation of animals as objects of study undoubtedly began in prehistoric times. The first recorded attempt involving the use of live animals for research was by Ersistratis in Alexandria in 300 B.C. Animal investigation has clearly made possible the enormous advances in drug development in this century. A cursory review of any modern text book of pharmacology or medicine will attest the many drugs currently available to benefit mankind in the struggle to eradicate and control diseases. The main purpose of this article is to describe some of the experimental work on animals which contributed to the discovery and development of drugs benefiting human beings and other animal species. Since animal experimentation has occupied a focal position in all the research leading to useful drugs, one will appreciate that it will be necessary to limit the discussion to certain aspects of this broad and interesting topic. With this in mind, an attempt is made to relate briefly the nature of animal investigations which were instrumental in the development of major classes of drugs. Some attention has also been focused on legislation's on animal experimentation of some developed countries with emphasis on India and to views on animal experimentation. We hope this article will stimulate the minds of the scientists for a rational debate on the future of animal experimentation.