One Welfare - University of Alberta - PDF

1 INTRO TO ONE WELFARE September 13, 2024 Today’s objectives Define relationship between animal and human welfare, and the environment Identify ways in which human and animal welfare and the environment is influenced by each other Demonstrate an understanding of the One Welfare frame...

1 INTRO TO ONE WELFARE September 13, 2024 Today’s objectives Define relationship between animal and human welfare, and the environment Identify ways in which human and animal welfare and the environment is influenced by each other Demonstrate an understanding of the One Welfare framework when assessing One Health issues and interventions Warning: we will discuss sensitive issues of human violence and animal abuse 3 My connection to One Welfare 4 The Five Domains Welfare Framework Welfare or wellbeing is determined by: A combination of physical and mental state Supporting both the individual physical and mental needs The ability of the individual to have control over and cope with stressors Opportunities for positive experiences, not just avoiding unpleasant ones Kells, N.J., 2022. The Five Domains model and promoting positive welfare in pigs. animal, 16, p.100378. 5 What is One Welfare? One Welfare is the intersection of human and animal wellbeing and the environment →Can you think of scenarios where the One Welfare framework is needed? https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/media/jkpjxrn0/016_8539_ -one_health_august2023.pdf 6 Where there are One Health issues there are One Welfare issues! 7 One Welfare intersects with One Health: welfare is inseparably connected to physical health! Many of our practices and uses of animals negatively influence their welfare and the environment, which in turn negatively affects human welfare Inequities in our society creates marginalized populations causing welfare issues for animals and humans One Welfare affects food security, climate change and loss of biodiversity Animals help make people happy and healthy Many studies show: Decreased blood pressure Increased socialization and community Increased physical exercise Healthy weight maintenance Sense of companionship Decreased anxiety and depression But it’s not that simple! We cause welfare issues for animals, and they can negatively affect our welfare too Social determinants (finances, community, housing, education) Animal health, welfare, and behaviour issues are often stressful to human stakeholders Lack of infrastructure support Human mental health issues and lack of identification and supports to manage these. The Violence Link Violence towards animals an accurate predictor of human-directed violence Threats to animal welfare used as leverage in abusive situations Studies show that more than half of women experiencing domestic abuse would not leave a dangerous situation because of concern for their pet  The Violence Link: a One welfare approach Provide resources and safe havens for victims of violence with pets Recognize animal cruelty as an indicator of potential human abuse and the opposite as well Increasing collaboration between educators, veterinarians, human health and welfare professionals, law enforcement, and legislators https://humanecanada.ca/vl/ Humane Canada: Awareness, Collaborate,Tools Project https://actproject.thinkific.com Animal welfare suffers when humans are struggling McDowall et al, 2023 Animal welfare suffers when humans are struggling Mental health issues and/or social determinants are strong predictors of animal welfare issues in both companion animal and livestock settings An example in pet dogs COVID-19: One Welfare case study The COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes that have had widespread effects in the context of One Welfare COVID-19: One Welfare case study “Pandemic puppies” Impulse animal adoptions leads to regret Increased use in aversive training tools and methods…interesting! Why? A positive: pets provided support during social isolation COVID-19: One Welfare case study Low income status compounded the effects of COVID-19 on access to veterinary services for some This shows the importance of considering all factors in the One Welfare framework COVID-19: One Welfare case study Given the influence of COVID-19 on these areas of livestock care and production, what are some of the One Welfare effects that you can see? Hashem et al, 2020 A long list… Worker shortages at slaughter plants due to illness Transport and slaughter plant staff often include foreign workers of low socioeconomic status Reduced accessibility to veterinary care Decreased welfare audits Inability to send animals to slaughter means animals culled Environmental effects of carcass disposal Increased financial and mental health stress on producers Decreased accessibility for consumers and increased cost Decreased feed production Any others?? Avian influenza: One Welfare case study 2 Highly pathogenic Avian influenza first identified by the CFIA in 2021: since then over 7 million birds in commercial and small scale flocks have been culled or have died. A Poultry veterinarian’s perspective on highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. Dr. Teryn Girard Can Vet J. 2023 Oct; 64(10): 980–983. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic les/PMC10506351/ Avian influenza: One Welfare case study 2 Producers seem to have experienced PTSD-like phenomenon Some hesitancy to contact veterinarians for subsequent bird mortality But some positive outcomes: Increased supports and social community in time of crisis One welfare and the environment What does human and animal welfare have to do with biodiversity?! How we influence the environment effects human and animal welfare! Decreasing bird populations in urban areas due to city lights, traffic noise, lack of habitat: the birds are suffering! Climate change Lower bird populations also means increased insect populations, increased potential for vector-borne disease, negative effect on ecosystem  Thoroughbred racing industry: application of One Welfare framework It is inherently difficult to change policy within highly traditional activities. By identifying all stakeholders involved, we can induce a stronger response to create change. Stallones, L., McManus, P. and McGreevy, P., 2023. Sustainability and the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industries: An enhanced one welfare perspective. Animals, 13(3), p.490. Mental health of animal care professionals The wellbeing of veterinarians and related staff is a major concern for One Welfare. A study from OVC in 2020 found some concerning stats about Canadian veterinarians (Perret et al, 2020): Veterinarian mental wellbeing negatively associated with client satisfaction –any ideas why? ~24% of those surveyed had contemplated suicide in the 12m prior to the study More than 30% reported mental health issues What about technicians and other support staff?  What is being done?  The Sentinel Program in Quebec: the producer-veterinarian relationship allows for surveillance of potential mental health issues in livestock producers.  CVMA recently recognized the importance of vets and animal care staff in One Welfare (https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/media/jkpjxrn0/016_8539_- one_health_august2023.pdf)  Not One More Vet An organization founded in 2014 by Dr. Nicole McArthur out of a Facebook group https://www.nomv.org  But is any of this really a One Welfare approach for One Welfare problems? One Welfare requires action from all sectors Increasing recognition that One Welfare requires focus but admission that there is minimal integration into One Health policy. “As a concept, One Welfare serves as a call to recognize the many interconnections between human welfare, animal welfare and the integrity of the environment. In practical terms, it is also a call to improve animal welfare in order to improve human welfare and vice versa, to co-ordinate actions between veterinary and human medical services, and to protect the environment in order to promote both human and animal welfare” (David Fraser, 2019 WSAVA Congress Proceedings). Some integrated One Welfare initiatives Animal Health and Welfare council created One Welfare recommendations for farmers Animal Health Canada formed a working group comprised of various stakeholders Promotion of community outreach to provide vet services for indigenous, marginalized, and remote communities Alberta SPCA One Family Welfare: facilitates a pet safekeeping program, crisis care, and education outreach (https://onefamilywelfare.ca/programs-and-services/)  It is not enough to focus on any one feature of One Welfare A true integration is needed in both policies and interventions Some things to based on all 3 components: think about… environment, human wellbeing, and animal wellbeing Consideration for One Welfare as an integral part of One Health rather than a supplementary concept References and resources Odendaal, J. S., & Meintjes, R. A. (2003). Neurophysiological correlates of affiliative behaviour between humans and dogs. The Veterinary Journal, 165(3), 296-301. Allen, Karen, Barbara E. Shykoff, and Joseph L. Izzo. “Pet ownership, but not ACE inhibitor therapy, blunts home blood pressure responses to mental stress.” Hypertension 38.4 (2001): 815-820. Kertes DA, Liu J, Hall NJ, Hadad NA, Wynne CDL, Bhatt SS. Effect of Pet Dogs on Children’s Perceived Stress and Cortisol Stress Response. Soc Dev. 2017;26(2):382–401. doi:10.1111/sode.12203 Pendry, P., Carr, A. M., Gee, N. R., & Vandagriff, J. L. (2020). Randomized Trial Examining Effects of Animal Assisted Intervention and Stress Related Symptoms on College Students’ Learning and Study Skills. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(6), 1909. Black, K. (2012). The relationship between companion animals and loneliness among rural adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 27(2), 103-112. Wood, Lisa, Billie Giles-Corti, and Max Bulsara. “The pet connection: pets as a conduit for social capital?.” Social science & medicine 61.6 (2005): 1159-1173. Stanley, I. H., Conwell, Y., Bowen, C., & Van Orden, K. A. (2014). Pet ownership may attenuate loneliness among older adult primary care patients who live alone. Aging & Mental Health, 18(3), 394-399 Brooks, Helen, et al. “Ontological security and connectivity provided by pets: a study in the self-management of the everyday lives of people diagnosed with a long-term mental health condition.” BMC psychiatry 16.1 (2016): 409. (https://www.upa.qc.ca/producteur/sante-securite- et-mieux-etre/sante-psychologique/formation-sentinelle) References and resources Mota-Rojas, D., Monsalve, S., Lezama-García, K., Mora-Medina, P., Domínguez-Oliva, A., Ramírez-Necoechea, R. and Garcia, R.D.C.M., 2022. Animal abuse as an indicator of domestic violence: One health, one welfare approach. Animals, 12(8), p.977 McDowall S, Hazel SJ, Chittleborough C, Hamilton-Bruce A, Stuckey R, Howell TJ. The Impact of the Social Determinants of Human Health on Companion Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel). 2023 Mar 21;13(6):1113. doi: 10.3390/ani13061113. PMID: 36978653; PMCID: PMC10044303. Stevenson, R., Fitzgerald, A. and Barrett, B.J., 2018. Keeping pets safe in the context of intimate partner violence: Insights from domestic violence shelter staff in Canada. Affilia, 33(2), pp.236-252. Perret JL, Best CO, Coe JB, Greer AL, Khosa DK, Jones-Bitton A. Prevalence of mental health outcomes among Canadian veterinarians. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2020;256:365–375. Hilton, K.R., Burke, K.J. and Signal, T., 2023. Mental health in the veterinary profession: an individual or organisational focus?. Australian veterinary journal, 101(1-2), pp.41-48. Hashem, N.M., González-Bulnes, A. and Rodriguez-Morales, A.J., 2020. Animal welfare and livestock supply chain sustainability under the COVID-19 outbreak: An overview. Frontiers in veterinary science, 7, p.582528 https://habri.org/blog/mental-health-month-shareable-infographic-on-the-mental-health-benefits-of-pets/ (Links Group. Suspected Abuse of Animals and People: Guidance for the veterinary team [updated 2023]. Available from: https://thelinksgroup.org.uk/veterinary-team-guidance) https://www.cvo.org/getmedia/514f58c1-1075-4de0-a82c-4654540bfaf5/AW-series-One-Welfare-Resources-Page.pdf Stallones, L., McManus, P. and McGreevy, P., 2023. Sustainability and the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industries: An enhanced one welfare perspective. Animals, 13(3), p.490. https://www.ahwcouncil.ca/pdfs/one-welfare/NFAHW%20Council_Recommendation_Enhancing%20Canadas%20Agricultural%20Well- Being%20Through%20a%20One%20Welfare%20Approach_2019.pdf  Next week: Guest lecturer: Dr. Samuel Cheung Topic: immunology - I will be absent on Monday - watch the lab forums for your lab topic - quiz 1 opened Thurs @5pm and will close Tues @10am