A survey to determine public opinion about the ethics and governance of farm animal welfare.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the attitude of the public toward farm animal welfare and identify beliefs regarding how decisions about farm animal welfare should be made.


METHODS
Telephone survey.


METHODS
A random sample of 1,019 US households.


METHODS
US households were contacted by telephone and asked to take part in a survey consisting of 48 items.


RESULTS
A majority (437/773 [56.4%]) of respondents believed decisions about farm animal welfare should be made by experts rather than being based on the views of the public. Such advocates of expert decision making were less likely to believe the government should regulate farm animal welfare. Most (420/773 [54.3%]) respondents believed decisions about farm animal welfare should be based on scientific measures of animal well-being, as opposed to moral and ethical considerations. Those individuals who believed farm animal welfare decisions should be made by experts and be based on scientific measures were the least concerned about farm animal welfare issues. People who believed animal welfare decisions should be made by experts and be based on scientific measures were most responsive to information about use of gestation crates for sows.


CONCLUSIONS
These results should help increase recognition that changing public opinion is not simply a matter of convincing the public to support positions established by veterinarians and animal scientists. People's views about the role of the democratic process in regulating technologic change are important determinants of whether people accept the changes in animal agriculture that have occurred during the past century.
Lusk
Jayson L
JL
Department of Agricultural Economics, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Norwood
F Bailey
FB
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000941:ethics* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001290:Attitude; D003657:Decision Making; D006799:Housing, Animal / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D011639:Public Opinion; D013689:Telephone; D014481:United States