Animal Welfare Attitudes of Pet Owners: An Investigation in Central and Western Parts of Turkey

Year 2020, Volume: 13 Issue: 4, 388 - 395, 31.12.2020

Gizem Sıla Kubilay Sarıal Zehra Bozkurt

https://doi.org/10.30607/kvj.794748

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Today with the start of global pandemics, the concept of “One health-One welfare” is becoming a fact of life as never before. Responsible ownership and good care duty do affect the health and welfare of pet animals, one of the stakeholders of social life. In this study, pet owners' attitudes towards animal welfare were examined. The research was carried out in İzmir, Ankara and Afyonkarahisar that are located in the Central and Western parts of Turkey. Animal Welfare Attitude Scale (AWAS) was applied to pet owners who voluntarily participated in the study. According to the results obtained in the cognitive dimension of the AWAS, pet owners think that animal welfare is affected mostly by housing, feeding and health conditions, and less by slaughter, sacrifice or naming of animals. Findings regarding the behavioral dimension demonstrated that pet owners treat their pets and street animals well but they do not support non-governmental organizations (NGO) working for animal rights and animal protection and they are not willing to purchase and pay more for foods produced under animal friendly standartds. Also, it has been observed that pet owners believe animals are sensitive beings and have rights like humans, but they agree little with the judgment that animals are created for humans. It was concluded that pet owners can support strategies to increase animal welfare and, increasing pet owners' knowledge and awareness relationships between animals and humans, values and norms as well as NGOs can provide valuable opportunities for increasing animal welfare in Turkey.

Keywords

Animal Welfare, Attitudes, Owner, Pet animal

Supporting Institution

AKÜ BABK

Project Number

18.SAĞ.BİL.20 Turkey.

Thanks

This study received the support of Afyon Kocatepe University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit with Project number 18.SAĞ.BİL.20 Turkey.

Pet Hayvanı Sahiplerinin Hayvan Refahı Tutumu: Türkiye'nin Orta ve Batısında Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Günümüzde küresel pandemilerin başlamasıyla birlikte “Tek sağlık-Tek refah” kavramı hiç olmadığı kadar hayatın bir olgusu haline gelmektedir. Sorumlu sahiplik ve iyi bakım toplumsal yaşamın paydaşlarından birisi olan pet hayvanlarının sağlığı ve refahını etkilemektedir. Bu araştırmada pet hayvan sahiplerinin hayvan refahına yönelik tutumları incelenmiştir. Araştırma Türkiye’nin orta ve batısında yer alan İzmir, Ankara ve Afyonkarahisar’da yürütülmüştür. Araştırmaya gönüllü olarak katılan pet sahiplerine Hayvan Refahı Tutum Ölçeği (AWAS) uygulanmıştır. Hayvan refahı tutumunun bilişsel boyutunda elde edilen sonuçlara göre pet sahipleri hayvan refahının en çok barınma, besleme ve sağlık koşulları, en az hayvanların kesilmesi, kurban edilmesi veya onlara isim verilmesi ile etkilendiğini düşünmektedir. Davranışsal boyuta ilişkin bulgular pet sahiplerinin kendi hayvanlarına ve sokak hayvanlarına iyi davrandıklarını ancak hayvan hakları ve hayvan koruma konusunda faaliyet gösteren sivil toplum örgütleri (STK)’ni desteklemediklerini ve yüksek hayvan refahı standartlarında üretilen hayvansal gıdaları satın alma ve daha fazla ödemeye istekli olmadıklarını ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca evcil hayvan sahiplerinin hayvanların hassas varlıklar olduğu ve insanlar gibi haklara sahip olduklarına inandıkları ancak hayvanların insanlar için yaratıldığı yargısına daha az katıldıkları görülmüştür. Pet hayvan sahiplerinin, hayvan refahını arttırmaya yönelik stratejileri destekleyebilecekleri ve pet hayvan sahiplerinin hayvanlar ve insanlar arasındaki ilişkiler, değerler ve normlar ile STK'larla ilgili bilgi ve farkındalığının artırılmasının Türkiye'de hayvan refahının artırılması için değerli fırsatlar sağlayabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır.

Keywords

Hayvan refahı, Tutum, Sahip, Pet hayvanı

Project Number

18.SAĞ.BİL.20 Turkey.

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