The Public Perception of the Animal Rights Movement

The Public Perception of the

Animal Rights Movement

Savannah Hayes e’Silva

Why is it Important?

• Humanity is evolving• Animal rights organizations:

– WSPA– ASPCA– PETA

• The result of this research would be of interest to any company or corporation that manufactures, exploits, breeds, cares for, protects or exhibits animals or their byproducts, as well as any company that educates the public about animals.

Background

• Early 1600s- Massachusetts Bay Colony “Body of Liberties”

• 1789- Jeremy Bentham’s dissertation, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation – “The question is not, can they reason? Nor, Can

they talk? But, Can they suffer?”• 1822- Martins Act

Background

• 1809- A group was founded with the purpose of the suppressing and preventing wanton cruelty to brute animals

• 1824- SPCA • The SPCA England Branch successfully lobbied

to revise Martins Act four times• 1840- These accomplishments caught the eye of

Queen Victoria– Changed their name to the RSPCA

Background

• 1820s- The English animal rights movement reached the United States

• Laws stating unprovoked cruelty to animals was a misdemeanor punishable by a small fine or a few days in jail– 1828-New York – 1835- Massachusetts

• April 1866- ASPCA was founded – Provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to

animals throughout the United States• 1879- ASPCA had prosecuted 6,000 people for

cruelty to animals and just nine years later that number doubled

Background

• 1975- Peter Singer’s book Animal Liberation. – Singer declared that all animals are considered

equal• 1979- Animal Legal Defense Fund was

founded by attorneys – Purpose of protecting the lives of animals

through the legal system in the emerging field of animal law

Background

• 1980- PETA was founded by Ingrid Newkirk

• PETA focuses on four major areas of animal cruelty: – Factory faming– Laboratory testing– Clothing trade – Entertainment business.

• The organization has made major strides in the movement towards a cruelty-free society

Background

• 1981- WSPA was a merge of two different international organizations

• WSPA helped to bring all of the animal rights and animal welfare organizations from around the globe together– 850 organization

memberships in 150 countries

• The only animal welfare organization that the United Nations and the Council of Europe consult with

Background

Focus Group

• I will recruit participants at local grocery stores• The focus group will be comprised of men and

women between the ages of 25-40, from several different ethnicities

• Incentives – Spay/neuter voucher from a local veterinarian, for those

with animal companions– $40 donation to a charity of your choice in your name

Warm-Up Questions

1. What is the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase animal rights?

2. Are you in any way affiliated with any animal rights organizations?

Detail Questions3. Do you think animals deserve rights?

4. I’m going to name five animal rights issues, what issue most concerns you and why?• Factory farming• Animal experimentation/vivisection• Fur use• Over breeding/spay and neutering• Property status of animals

5. I’m going to name three animal rights organizations, what is the first thing that comes to mind about each organization?

• PETA• ASPCA• WSPA

6. If you are not involved with animal rights or any animal rights organizations, is there something that would motivate you to get involved?

7. Do you think extremist groups are putting the animal rights movement in a bad light?

Wrap-Up Questions

8. How could the public perception of animal rights be improved?

9. After hearing everything that you did in this focus group, has your perception changed?

10. What do you think will happen with animal rights in the future?

Survey

• I will recruit participants at local grocery stores• The focus group will be comprised of men and

women between the ages of 25-40, from several different ethnicities

• Incentives – Spay/neuter voucher from a local veterinarian, for those

with animal companions– $40 donation to a charity of your choice in your name

Demographic Questions

1. Please indicate your age by filling in the appropriate bubble:O 19 or younger O 50-59O 20-29 O 60 or olderO 30-39 O I prefer not to answerO 40-49

2. Please indicate your gender:O MaleO FemaleO I prefer not to answer

3. Please indicate your race:O African American O Native AmericanO Asian/Pacific Islander O White/Caucasian O Latino O I prefer not to answerO Multiracial

Psychographic Questions4. Please indicate your level of education:

O Less than high school O College graduateO High school O Graduate degreeO Some college O I prefer not to answer

5. Please indicate your income:O Less than $20,000 O $50,000 to $59,999O $20,000 to $29,999 O $60,000 to $69,999O $30,000 to $39,999 O $70,000 or higherO $40,000 to $49,999 O I prefer not to answer

6. Please indicate your place of residence:O UrbanO SuburbanO RuralO I prefer not to answer

Psychographic Questions

7. Please indicate the status of your residence:O Own homeO RentO I prefer not to answer

8. Please indicate your marital status:O Single with no childrenO Single with childrenO Married with no childrenO Married with children

9. Please indicate whether or not you are a pet owner:O YesO NoO Not currently, but was previouslyO Not currently, but plan to be in the near futureO I prefer not to answer

Substantive Questions10. Rank the following animal rights issues in order of most important to least

important; 1 being the most important and 5 being the least important: _____ Factory farming _____ Animal experimentation/vivisection

_____ Fur use _____ Over breeding/spay and neutering _____ Property status of animals

11. Please indicate if you are a member of the following groups (circle all that apply):

O American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals O People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals O World Society for the Protection for Animals O The Humane SocietyO Best Friends Animal SocietyO The National Anti-Vivisection SocietyO The World Wildlife FederationO Other

Substantive Questions

12. Do you consider yourself any of the following? If not, please leave blanko Pescitariano Vegetariano Vegan

13. Animals do not experience the same amount of pain as humans.14. There is nothing wrong with eating veal. 15. Zoos are ethically responsible. 16. There is nothing morally wrong with hunting. 17. Animals should have rights guaranteed to them in the U.S. Constitution.

18. If you would like to clarify any answers to any of the above questions, you may do so here.

Questions 13 through 17 are on a Likert Scale with the choices being: Strongly agree, somewhat agree, no opinion, somewhat disagree and strongly disagree

Questions?