RESUMO
The traditional perception of mutual rights and obligations in the developing world was practically confined to human beings only. Fortunately, this conventional understanding is growing to include all living beings in the scope of certain basic rights. It is also addressing those creatures which are co-existing with human societies naturally or are associated for their subsistence and interdependence. It means that there should be prescribed body of rules and regulations to regulate human conduct in the society. In Pakistan social awakening for animal rights supported by international campaigns have urged state institutions to make adequate body of rules and regulations for protection of animal rights. Purpose of developing required understanding, at the first place is to clarify what is a right and what is an obligation? Secondly what should be the nature of these rights and obligations. Should these be only specific to human beings or there are other beings who also possess certain rights? If other living beings, species have rights, how these rights are to be conferred and regulated? Who is under obligation to provide these rights? Who is liable and responsible to ensure observance of such obligations? It is becoming clearer that like human beings' animals do have certain rights as living beings. All most all religions of the world have prescribed certain rights to them which are encrypted in their holy books. Most of the people are aware of basic concept of observing mild and kind behavior towards pet animals only. Today we scientifically know that humanity and animals have co-existing inevitability. By observing mutual behavior and sensation, the world has provided special rights to the animals by making laws and Acts. Implementation of those rights can only be made through mutual understanding of the citizens under the supervision of law enforcing agencies. It is the responsibility of state and citizens of the states jointly to protect the animals when their rights are being violated.
A percepção tradicional de direitos e obrigações mútuos no mundo em desenvolvimento estava praticamente limitada apenas aos seres humanos. Felizmente, esse entendimento convencional está crescendo para incluir todos os seres vivos no âmbito de certos direitos básicos. Também está abordando aquelas criaturas que coexistem naturalmente com as sociedades humanas ou estão associadas à subsistência e interdependência delas. Isso significa que deve haver um corpo prescrito de regras e regulamentos para regular a conduta humana na sociedade. No Paquistão, o despertar social para os direitos dos animais, apoiado por campanhas internacionais, levou as instituições estatais a criar um corpo adequado de regras e regulamentos para a proteção dos direitos dos animais. O objetivo de desenvolver a compreensão necessária é, em primeiro lugar, esclarecer: o que é um direito e o que é uma obrigação? Em segundo lugar, qual deve ser a natureza desses direitos e obrigações? Devem ser apenas específicos dos seres humanos ou existem outros seres que também possuem certos direitos? Se outros seres vivos e espécies têm direitos, como esses direitos devem ser conferidos e regulamentados? Quem está obrigado a fornecer esses direitos? Quem é o responsável por garantir o cumprimento de tais obrigações? Está ficando mais claro que, assim como os seres humanos, os animais têm certos direitos enquanto seres vivos. Quase todas as religiões do mundo prescreveram certos direitos a eles que estão criptografados em seus livros sagrados. A maioria das pessoas está ciente do conceito básico de observar o comportamento suave e gentil apenas para animais de estimação. Hoje, sabemos cientificamente que a humanidade e os animais têm uma inevitabilidade coexistente. Ao observar o comportamento e a sensação mútuos, o mundo concedeu direitos especiais aos animais, fazendo leis e atos. A implementação desses direitos só pode ser feita por meio do entendimento mútuo dos cidadãos sob a supervisão das agências de aplicação da lei. É responsabilidade do Estado e dos cidadãos dos Estados proteger conjuntamente os animais quando seus direitos estão sendo violados.
Assuntos
Animais , Direitos dos Animais , Constituição e Estatutos , Legislação , Biodiversidade , PaquistãoRESUMO
The paper analyzes the impact of trade relations between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur with its member states (Argentina, and Brazil, in particular), on the adoption of legislation on animal welfare inspired by the EU model. In the first part, the paper focuses on the historical roots of the European framework, which led "animal welfare" to become an EU value. Then, it briefly explores the EU legal instrument dedicated to breeding, transport and commercialization of animals, identified as core issues when dealing with international trade. Finally, it examines how Argentina and Brazil have adapted their national rules to the European model, thanks to a "mirroring" legislation strategy. In conclusion, the analysis shows how trade relations with the EU have an impact on the worldwide diffusion of European standards.
Assuntos
Comércio , Internacionalidade , Animais , União Europeia , Brasil , Bem-Estar do AnimalRESUMO
Objetivo/Contexto. Objetivou-se caracterizar o ativismo pró-animal e a concepção popular e acadêmica dos movimentos de proteção animal no Brasil sob a perspectiva da bioética, elencado os argumentos e as vulnerabilidades. Metodologia/Abordagem. A pesquisa se caracteriza como de abordagem mista (quali-quantitativa) envolvendo três dimensões: a) mapeamento das organizações não governamentais (ONG) e movimentos sociais pró-animal; b) análise opinião popular quanto a atuação dos movimentos pró-animal; c) revisão bibliográfica integrativa sobre movimentos sociais pró-animais. Resultados/Descobertas. O Ativismo foi caracterizado pelas ONGs e movimentos sociais pró-animais, os quais embora comunguem o interesse da proteção animal divergem em linguagem, processos e ideologias que comprometem a sinergia de esforços. A vulnerabilidade do ativismo esteve atrelada a necessidade engajamento da sociedade e das barreiras de inserção na academia. A vulnerabilidade do público leigo foi demostrado necessidade de instrumentalização para acessar as informações tanto do ativismo quanto da ciência, a fim se subsidiar decisões conscientes na relação com os animais não-humanos. Por fim, a academia apresentou vulnerabilidades atreladas a credibilidade e adesão social e do ativismo quanto aos seus processos balizados por normatizações legais e metodológicas que atestam a sua idoneidade. Discussão/Conclusões/Contribuições: A academia despontou como o eixo capacitado para intermediar o debate e a deliberação da proteção animal juntamente com a sociedade e o ativismo. A bioética com seus pressupostos éticos, natureza dialogante e multidisciplinar, atuantes nos espaços das comissões de ética no uso de animais, se apresenta como uma ferramenta hábil na superação dos ruídos de comunicação.
Propósito/Contexto. El objetivo fue caracterizar el activismo proanimal y la concepción popular y académica de los movimientos de protección animal en Brasil desde la perspectiva de la Bioética, enumerando los argumentos y las vulnerabilidades. Metodología/Enfoque. La investigación se caracteriza por tener un enfoque mixto (cuali-cuantitativo) que involucra tres dimensiones: a) mapeo de organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG) y movimientos sociales proanimales; b) análisis de la opinión popular sobre la actuación de los movimientos proanimales; c) revisión integradora de literatura sobre movimientos sociales proanimales. Resultados/Hallazgos. El activismo se caracterizó por ONG y movimientos sociales proanimales, que si bien comparten el interés por la protección animal, difieren en lenguajes, procesos e ideologías que comprometen la sinergia de esfuerzos. La vulnerabilidad del activismo está ligada a la necesidad de involucrar a la sociedad y las barreras para ingresar a la academia. La vulnerabilidad del público lego radica en la necesidad de instrumentalización para acceder a información tanto del activismo como de la ciencia para apoyar decisiones conscientes en la relación con animales no humanos. Finalmente, la academia presentó vulnerabilidades vinculadas a la credibilidad y la adhesión y activismo social respecto de sus procesos que se guían por normas legales y metodológicas que dan fe de su idoneidad. Discusión/Conclusiones/Contribuciones. La academia surgió como el eje capaz de mediar el debate y la deliberación de la protección animal junto con la sociedad y el activismo. La Bioética con sus presupuestos éticos, de carácter dialogante y multidisciplinario, activa en los espacios de los comités de ética en el uso de animales, se presenta como una herramienta hábil para superar el ruido de la comunicación.
Purpose/Background. Our objective was to characterize pro-animal activism and the popular and academic conception of animal protection movements in Brazil from the perspective of bioethics, listing the arguments and vulnerabilities. Methodology/Approach. The research is characterized as having a mixed approach (quali-quantitative) involving three dimensions: a) mapping of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and pro-animal social movements; b) analysis of popular opinion regarding the performance of pro-animal movements; c) integrative literature review on pro-animal social movements. Results/Findings. Activism was characterized by pro-animal NGOS and social movements, which, although they share the interest in animal protection, differ in language, processes and ideologies that compromise the synergy of efforts. The vulnerability of activism is linked to the need to engage society and the barriers to entering academia. The vulnerability of the lay public lies in the need for instrumentalization to access information from both activism and science to support conscious decisions in the relationship with non-human animals. Finally, the academy also presented vulnerabilities linked to credibility and social adherence and activism regarding its processes that are guided by legal and methodological norms that attest to its suitability. Discussion/Conclusions/Contributions. The academy emerged as the axis able to mediate the debate and deliberation of animal protection together with society and activism. Bioethics with its ethical assumptions, dialoguing and multidisciplinary nature, active in the spaces of ethics committees, presents itself as a skillful tool in overcoming communication noise.
RESUMO
The aim of this study was to analyze the perception of police officers within the Environmental Military Police of the State of São Paulo about animal abuse occurrences and to implement the Protocol for Expert Report in Animal Welfare (PERAW) as guidance for the first approach to complaint cases related to animal mistreatment. 608 officers filled a pre-implementation questionnaire, followed by a training for PERAW use, and filled a post-implementation questionnaire after two months of Protocol use; these last two were accomplished by only 200 officers. Feeding and water inadequacies were quoted as the condition most easily identified as maltreatment. After training, more officers mentioned two and three animal welfare segments of physical, behavioral, and mental aspects. The concept of sentience was known by a significant higher number of officers after training. Officers reported that the main PERAW advantage was that it enabled greater discrimination and more appropriate assessment of occurrences, besides providing a technical basis to the assessments. Overall, PERAW implementation provided some guidance for a first approach to animal mistreatment cases; however, continued training may provide further improvement.
Assuntos
Polícia , Animais , Humanos , Brasil , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
The main goal of this online survey was to investigate the attitudes of Brazilians towards "cell-based meat", which has become the subject of great scientific and media enthusiasm. The answers of 4471 respondents concluded that 46.6% of them thought "cell-based meat" was promising and acceptable. More than 66% would be willing to try this novel product compared to 23% who expressed reluctance to do so. Nearly 40% of the total respondents did not want to eat "cell-based meat" regularly at all, whereas 29%, 43.2%, and 39.9% were willing to eat it regularly in restaurants, at home, and/or in ready-made meals, respectively. However, the majority of respondents (71%) were keen to pay much less for "cell-based meat" than conventionally produced meat (or even nothing at all), compared to 24.3% who were willing to pay the same price as conventional meat, whereas only 4.8% were willing to pay more. Approximately 51% of them considered that "cell-based meat" should not be called "meat" for marketing purposes. Job, monthly income, age, and gender were major factors impacting consumer acceptance. Meat professionals and consumers with higher incomes were less willing to eat "cell-based meat" regularly. Women (especially younger women) were the most concerned about the ethical and environmental issues related to meat production and were the most convinced that reducing meat consumption could be a good solution to the meat industry's problems. Respondents who did not accept "cell-based meat" and did not eat meat substitutes had a negative attitude to this novel food (they considered it absurd and/or disgusting) and did not believe that "cell-based meat" should be called "meat" for marketing purposes. In contrast, the people who thought that "cell-based meat" could be called "meat" perceived it in a rather positive way. These results are important for consumers of meat and meat substitutes and for companies aiming to enter the potential future Brazilian market of "cell-based meat".
RESUMO
We aimed to study the gaps between the law and sheep farmer and citizen opinions regarding animal maltreatment by discussing the risk of sheep maltreatment in regular farming practices in Southern Brazil. We surveyed the perception of 56 farmers and 209 citizens regarding general animal and specific on-farm sheep maltreatment issues. The main themes from these two groups about the key components of animal maltreatment were similar: failing to provide for the basic animal needs (27.0%; 96 of 355 total quotes) and aggression or physical abuse (23.9%; 85/355). However, citizens (19.8%; 60/303) were more sensitive than farmers (9.6%; 5/52) to animal stress, suffering, fear, pain or painful procedures (p < 0.05). The perspective of citizens was closer than that of farmers to expert definitions for three situations: emaciation, movement restriction and tail docking without anesthetic use (p < 0.05). More citizens (71.6%; 116/162) than sheep farmers (49.0%; 24/49) believed that animal maltreatment occurs in sheep farming (p < 0.05), but nearly half of the farmers recognized sheep maltreatment within regular production practices. Most citizens (86.4%; 140/162) and all farmers (100.0%; 0/51) were unaware of any Brazilian animal protection law. Most citizens (79%; 131/167) stated that they would not purchase products from animals exposed to maltreatment. We suggest painful procedures as a major risk of animal maltreatment in sheep farming and a priority issue. With the many decades of animal protection laws and scientific recognition of animal sentience and welfare requirements, the level of cognitive dissonance and practical contradictions observed in our results indicate that mitigation policies are urgently needed.
RESUMO
The absence, in many nations, of appropriate and corresponding legislation for the protection of experimental animals as well as continual management education programs, significantly affects the inclusion and recognition of experimental results, worldwide. For more than a decade, researchers from Latin American countries have unsuccessfully struggled to get proper legislation. Until today, not many effective results have been seen. After reviewing previous literature and carefully analyzing the available methodologies and practical examples, this paper aims at redesigning the actions and strategies of the members of the research facilities to implement an effective laboratory animal care and use program, and permit the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) accreditation, independent of national legislative network .This paper also suggests a domestic working method for the teamwork to assume international harmonized legislation, through the application of the Five Disciplines stated by Senge, as methodological process linked with laboratory animal science as scientific background.
Assuntos
Ciência dos Animais de Laboratório , Acreditação , Criação de Animais Domésticos , Animais , Animais de Laboratório , AprendizagemRESUMO
This case report presents the importance of articulation between legal professionals with the expertise of those who work in different areas of animal science and the activists of animal cause. The report is based on the experience that took place in the interior of the State of Bahia, with a donkey herd, the target of foreign groups interested in donkey hide exploration. The animals were rescued from mistreatment and slaughter, thanks to efficient legal work, aided by several areas of the veterinary sciences, and supported politically by the movement of animal activists. The union between activism and technical knowledge in the areas of health, breeding, nutrition, animal welfare, and legal knowledge is a tool that should not be overlooked. On the contrary, it has proved effective, confirming a strong and innovative link capable of saving animals, promoting their welfare, generating technical knowledge, and new and promising proposals for intersectoral action.(AU)
Este caso relata a experiência da articulação entre profissionais da área jurídica com a expertise daqueles que atuam nas diversas áreas da ciência animal e os militantes do ativismo da causa animal. O relato de caso toma por base a experiência ocorrida no interior do estado da Bahia, no Brasil, com um rebanho de jumentos, alvo de grupos estrangeiros interessados na exploração de pele. Os animais foram salvos de maus-tratos e do abate graças ao eficiente trabalho jurídico, auxiliado por várias áreas da ciência animal e apoiado politicamente pelo movimento de ativistas da causa animal. A união entre o ativismo e o conhecimento técnico é poderosa ferramenta capaz de estabelecer relações, conexões e promover a divulgação do conhecimento na comunidade e, principalmente, salvar a vida de animais humanos e animais não humanos.(AU)
Assuntos
Animais , Bem-Estar do Animal , Equidae , Fatores de Proteção , Relatório de PesquisaRESUMO
This case report presents the importance of articulation between legal professionals with the expertise of those who work in different areas of animal science and the activists of animal cause. The report is based on the experience that took place in the interior of the State of Bahia, with a donkey herd, the target of foreign groups interested in donkey hide exploration. The animals were rescued from mistreatment and slaughter, thanks to efficient legal work, aided by several areas of the veterinary sciences, and supported politically by the movement of animal activists. The union between activism and technical knowledge in the areas of health, breeding, nutrition, animal welfare, and legal knowledge is a tool that should not be overlooked. On the contrary, it has proved effective, confirming a strong and innovative link capable of saving animals, promoting their welfare, generating technical knowledge, and new and promising proposals for intersectoral action.(AU)
Este caso relata a experiência da articulação entre profissionais da área jurídica com a expertise daqueles que atuam nas diversas áreas da ciência animal e os militantes do ativismo da causa animal. O relato de caso toma por base a experiência ocorrida no interior do estado da Bahia, no Brasil, com um rebanho de jumentos, alvo de grupos estrangeiros interessados na exploração de pele. Os animais foram salvos de maus-tratos e do abate graças ao eficiente trabalho jurídico, auxiliado por várias áreas da ciência animal e apoiado politicamente pelo movimento de ativistas da causa animal. A união entre o ativismo e o conhecimento técnico é poderosa ferramenta capaz de estabelecer relações, conexões e promover a divulgação do conhecimento na comunidade e, principalmente, salvar a vida de animais humanos e animais não humanos.(AU)
Assuntos
Animais , Bem-Estar do Animal , Equidae , Relatório de PesquisaRESUMO
The study of human-animal interactions has become a prominent research field. The presence of pets in our daily lives has meant a change in the perception of our relationship with pets. One of the new lines of research that has opened up in this area analyzes the possible physical, emotional, and psychological benefits of a human-animal bond. In this context, two main objectives were pursued in this study, whose sample (N = 1436) was investigated in Puerto Rico: (PO1) determining the characteristics of the owners and the care of the pets within Puerto Rican society and (PO2) to analyzing the benefits of living with pets for health and personal well-being, especially at the psychological level. We sought to identify the feelings that arose in pet caretakers as a result of human-animal interactions. The methodology used, which was descriptive and not experimental, was based on a questionnaire of 86 questions with a Likert scale. After the descriptive analysis was undertaken through a frequency analysis, a binary logistic regression was carried out to establish whether the feelings and emotions of the subjects toward their companion pets were determined by sociodemographic variables and were related to the type of coexistence with their pets. The two main results from this study are as follows: for most owners, their pets are very important beings, and those who establish an emotional connection with their pets experience love, joy, and peace. Pets are part of human life through very intense relationships and interactions that, in most cases, increase personal welfare by providing improvements to the human-animal biopsychosocial system. In this sense, a relationship with a pet has a positive impact on the mental health of the owner. Pets are a part of our family lives and are regulators of the most elementary feelings and emotions in humans.
RESUMO
Recently, many studies regarding consumer perception of cell-based meat have been published. However, the opinion of the professionals involved in animal production also seems relevant. In particular, veterinarians and animal scientists may be important players in the new cell-based meat production, acting as proponents or barriers to this major improvement for farm animal welfare. Therefore, our aim is to analyse the knowledge and perspective of Brazilian veterinarians and animal scientists regarding cell-based meat. Veterinarians (76.8%; 209/272) and animal scientists (23.2%; 63/272) responded to an online survey. Logistic regression, latent class and logit models were used to evaluate objective answers, and the Discourse of the Collective Subject method was used to interpret open-ended answers. Specialists who were women (62.5%; 170/272), veterinarians (76.8%; 209/272), vegetarians (7.0%; 19/272) and vegans (1.1%; 3/272) were more supportive of cell-based meat. Lack of knowledge and the connection with artificiality, the most frequent spontaneous word associated with cell-based meat by all respondents, were the main negative points highlighted. Thus, it seems fundamental to offer higher education to veterinarians and animal scientists regarding cell-based meat, since engaging them with this novel technology may mitigate both the resistance and its negative consequences for the professionals, society, the animals involved and the environment.
RESUMO
Slaughter sets the debate about what is acceptable to do to animals at an extremely low bar. Recently, there has been considerable investment in developing cell-based meat, an alternative meat production process that does not require the raising and slaughtering of animals, instead using muscle cells cultivated in a bioreactor. We discuss the animal ethics impacts of cell-based and plant-based meat on human-animal interactions from animal welfare and rights perspectives, focusing on industrial meat production scenarios. Our hypothesis is that the insertion of cell-based meat in the global meat market may alleviate farm animal suffering and potentially restore resources for wild fauna. We employed a conservative estimation of the cell-based meat contribution to the global meat market in the year 2040 to analyze the consequences for human-animal relationships for both wild animals and farmed domesticated animals. We discuss possible effects of an animal cell domestication process, previously described as the second domestication, on human-animal relationships. We consider its potential to reduce the impact of human demographic changes and land use on animal life, in particular whether there would be increased biomass availability and free land for wild animals. We anticipate a major reduction in animal suffering due to the decrease in the number of individual animals involved in food production, which justifies the adoption of cell-based meat from a utilitarian perspective. For the conventional animal food production that remains, further consideration is needed to understand which systems, either high or low welfare, will be retained and the impact of the innovation on the average farm animal welfare. Additionally, it seems likely that there will be less acceptance of the necessity of animal suffering in farming systems when meat production is uncoupled from animal raising and slaughter, supported by a deontological perspective of animal ethics. Consequent to this is anticipated the mitigation of relevant barriers to animal protection and to the recognition of animals as subjects by legislation. Thus, the development of the alternative meats may be related to a significant change in our relationship with non-human animals, with greater benefits than the prima facie effects on farm animals.
RESUMO
A relação entre seres humanos e animais deve ser positiva. No entanto, interações negativas também têm sido descritas, como os relatos de ocorrências de maus-tratos contra animais. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram estudar o perfil de denúncias de maus-tratos contra animais registradas nas Sociedades Protetoras dos Animais de Campo Largo e de Curitiba e na Rede de Defesa e Proteção Animal de Curitiba, e analisar a pertinência da ação de profissionais capacitados em tais processos. Os elementos apurados foram espécies animais envolvidas e descrição das denúncias a fim de coletar as informações pertinentes e classificá-las de acordo com as causas e com as Cinco Liberdades. Das denúncias, 82,9% envolveram cães. As causas mais comuns foram abandono (16,2%), não fornecimento de alimento e água (15,7%), morte (14,7%) e ausência de atendimento veterinário (13,5%). A maioria das ocorrências fez referência às liberdades sanitária (71,8%) e nutricional (28,2%), embora a avaliação técnica tenha revelado o comprometimento comum da liberdade psicológica (93,5%). Os resultados sugerem que a colaboração de profissional capacitado em bemestar animal pode subsidiar o aprimoramento das deliberações em casos de suspeita de maus-tratos aos animais.
The human-animal relationship should be positive; however, negative interactions are frequently registered, some of which can be found as reports of incidents of animal abuse. The aim of this study was to survey the history of complaints of animal abuse recorded in the Animal Protection Society of Campo Largo and Curitiba and in the Animal Defense and Protection Network of Curitiba, Paraná, and to analyze the relevance of veterinary action in such cases. The data collected were animal species involved, description of complaints and relevant information to classify them according to the causes and the Five Freedoms. Of the allegations, 82.9% involved dogs. The most common causes were abandonment (16.2%), failure to provide food and water (15.7%), death (14.7%) and lack of veterinary care (13.5%). Most of the cases referred to the freedom from pain, injury and disease, and the freedom from hunger and thirst, although the technical evaluation has revealed a frequent impact on psychological freedom. The results suggest that the collaboration of a professional specialized in animal welfare can enhance the deliberations in cases of suspected animal abuse.
Assuntos
Animais , Bem-Estar do Animal/ética , Cães/classificação , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
A relação entre seres humanos e animais deve ser positiva. No entanto, interações negativas também têm sido descritas, como os relatos de ocorrências de maus-tratos contra animais. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram estudar o perfil de denúncias de maus-tratos contra animais registradas nas Sociedades Protetoras dos Animais de Campo Largo e de Curitiba e na Rede de Defesa e Proteção Animal de Curitiba, e analisar a pertinência da ação de profissionais capacitados em tais processos. Os elementos apurados foram espécies animais envolvidas e descrição das denúncias a fim de coletar as informações pertinentes e classificá-las de acordo com as causas e com as Cinco Liberdades. Das denúncias, 82,9% envolveram cães. As causas mais comuns foram abandono (16,2%), não fornecimento de alimento e água (15,7%), morte (14,7%) e ausência de atendimento veterinário (13,5%). A maioria das ocorrências fez referência às liberdades sanitária (71,8%) e nutricional (28,2%), embora a avaliação técnica tenha revelado o comprometimento comum da liberdade psicológica (93,5%). Os resultados sugerem que a colaboração de profissional capacitado em bemestar animal pode subsidiar o aprimoramento das deliberações em casos de suspeita de maus-tratos aos animais.(AU)
The human-animal relationship should be positive; however, negative interactions are frequently registered, some of which can be found as reports of incidents of animal abuse. The aim of this study was to survey the history of complaints of animal abuse recorded in the Animal Protection Society of Campo Largo and Curitiba and in the Animal Defense and Protection Network of Curitiba, Paraná, and to analyze the relevance of veterinary action in such cases. The data collected were animal species involved, description of complaints and relevant information to classify them according to the causes and the Five Freedoms. Of the allegations, 82.9% involved dogs. The most common causes were abandonment (16.2%), failure to provide food and water (15.7%), death (14.7%) and lack of veterinary care (13.5%). Most of the cases referred to the freedom from pain, injury and disease, and the freedom from hunger and thirst, although the technical evaluation has revealed a frequent impact on psychological freedom. The results suggest that the collaboration of a professional specialized in animal welfare can enhance the deliberations in cases of suspected animal abuse.(AU)