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Projeto de investigação
VETHICS-2022 - Uma abordagem estruturada para descrever e abordar os desafios éticos da profissão veterinária em Portugal VETHICS-2022 A structured approach to describing and addressing the ethical challenges of the veterinary profession in Portugal
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The emperor's new clothes : an epistemological critique of traditional chinese veterinary acupuncture
Publication . Magalhães-Sant'Ana, Manuel
Simple Summary Complementary and alternative medicines have gained increased popularity in the veterinary field. Among them, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, including acupuncture, has emerged as one of the main alternatives to conventional veterinary medicine. This paper relies upon an epistemological approach to investigate conceptual, historical and scientific assertions about veterinary acupuncture made by their advocates. Argument by analogy is used to demonstrate that Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is based on pre-scientific principles, similar to those of humoral medicine and bloodletting, and that acupuncture is, in effect, a placebo. The paper concludes with recommendations for veterinary regulators and colleagues.
Abstract Within the last few decades, complementary and alternative medicines have gained increased popularity in the veterinary field. Although many authors have exposed the scientific fallacies and historical misconceptions used to justify such therapies, those efforts have not succeeded in detracting veterinary practitioners from embracing them. Notably, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), including acupuncture, has emerged as one of the main alternatives to conventional veterinary medicine. In this paper, analogical reasoning is used to investigate conceptual, historical and scientific assertions made by the advocates of TCVM. The paper is divided into two parts: The first aims to appraise conceptual and historical claims made by veterinary acupuncturists. I defend that TCVM is a pre-scientific construct, similar to humoral doctrine, and that acupuncture is analogous to bloodletting. The second part is focused on scientific evidence of clinical application of acupuncture in the dog, showing how science is yet to validate veterinary acupuncture and defending that claims of efficacy are due to placebo effect. It is suggested that veterinary acupuncture needs to abandon Traditional Chinese Medicine and embrace science-based medicine tout court. On the other hand, high quality scientific studies, including randomized controlled trials, need to be presented. Veterinary regulators must bring the issue of non-conventional therapies into their agendas.
Pet reptiles : are we meeting their needs?
Publication . Azevedo, Alexandre; Guimarães, Leonor; Ferraz, Joel; Whiting, Martin; Magalhães-Sant'Ana, Manuel
ABSTRACT - The ability to meet the needs of each species in captivity is at the heart of the ethical debate
on the acceptability of keeping reptiles and other animals as pets. Little is known about the ability
of reptile owners to understand their pets’ behavior and to meet their welfare requirements. In this
study, we surveyed pet reptile owners in Portugal (N = 220) to assess their behavioral knowledge
and the provision of essential husbandry needs. Although two-thirds of respondents (68%) scored
very good to excellent in terms of knowledge of their pet reptile’s behaviors, only 15% of respondents
met four essential reptile husbandry needs (temperature, lighting, diet and refuge) and 43% met
two or less. None of the respondents reported their reptile’s welfare as very poor, and only a single
respondent reported it as poor. Logistic regression model showed that while snake owners had
fourteen times higher odds of reporting adequate husbandry provision, lizard owners had the highest
odds of reporting good or very good welfare despite providing less of their animals’ basic husbandry
needs. These results suggest that many pet reptiles in Portugal live in, at best, ‘controlled deprivation’
and are at risk of suffering poor welfare throughout their captive lives. Moreover, behaviors indicative
of poor welfare and captivity stress were considered ‘normal’ by up to one quarter of respondents.
We suggest that the frequency of these behaviors in pet reptiles has led to their acceptance as normal,
precluding the search for ways to prevent them. These results suggest that campaigns aimed at
challenging the current norm for adequate reptile welfare are warranted.
Understanding the human–reptile bond : an exploratory mixed-methods study
Publication . Azevedo, Alexandre; Guimarães, Leonor; Ferraz, Joel; Whiting, Martin; Magalhães-Sant'Ana, Manuel
Owning reptiles (e.g., chelonians, lizards, and snakes) poses a great deal of challenges in terms of welfare and care, as well as conservation and environmental concerns. However, despite the large scale of the reptile trade, little is known about the motives for acquiring and keeping these animals. This research provides the first empirical investigation on the motives for owning reptiles as pets in Portugal as well as on the nature of the human–reptile bond. Using a mixed-methods approach, an online survey was used to gather the views and opinions of 220 reptile owners. Respondents described their affection toward reptiles using terms that denote affective states of increasing intensity: “to like”, “to love,” “fascination,” and “passion.” Four main categories of motivations for the long-term keeping of pet reptiles were identified: convenience, entertainment, companionship, and duty of care. Respondents perceived their pets as family members (64%) and as sentient beings, including the ability to feel “stress or fear” (≥ 80%) and “pain or discomfort” (≥74%). Snakes differed from lizards and chelonians in the sense that they were less frequently considered a “family member” (χ2(2) = 7.14, p = 0.03) and were perceived as less able to communicate (χ2(2) = 9.91, p < 0.01). Results suggest that human–reptile relations are driven by the same feelings as those previously reported for mammalian pets, although they are more diverse and nuanced by a sense of admiration and fascination for their mysterious nature and unusual behaviors. Building on these strong emotional bonds, promoting early education about wildlife conservation, and responsible pet keeping could play a crucial role in improving captive-reptile welfare.
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Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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SFRH/BPD/117693/2016