This dissertation is a history of humanitarianism in Canada in the 1870s and 1880s. It examines the rise of the first Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in 1869 in Montreal and the destruction of the buffalo on the Canadian prairies by 1879. These two case studies on the historical treatment of animals are complemented by two other case studies which explore "man's humanity to man" in these years. One chapter examines how Montrealers responded to the indigent poor on their city streets, focusing particularly on the nature of humanitarian child-saving efforts which led to the removal of many poor children from their families. The last chapter investigates the nature and limits with which central and eastern Canadians responded to reports from the prairies of "starving Indians" following the destruction of the buffalo. The dissertation makes sense of the seeming contradictory contemporary impulses which led to the protection of the domestic animals of the "uncivilized" urban poor on the one hand and the destruction of the buffalo (as a free roaming species) to make way for "civilization" on the other. It shows how both the SPCA movement and the destruction of the buffalo were the result of "civilization," signs of the emerging capitalist and colonial order. It demonstrates that contemporaries recognized and were dismayed by the central role played by civilized white hunters in the destruction of the buffalo. Once the buffalo disappeared, a new narrative emerged that blamed the Indians for the destruction, helping to justify Canadian domination of the prairies. The thesis also demonstrates that as dominant culture took on the mantle of humanity to animals, through the establishment

This thesis considers the current Canadian Criminal Code provisions on animal cruelty, and the most recent proposal to amend these provisions, Bill C-50, An Act to amend the Criminal Code in respect to cruelty to animals. The paper argues that Bill C-50, much like the current Criminal Code provisions are reformist in nature and do not signify a fundamental re-conception of the status of animals in Canada. Yet, despite the Bill's shortcomings for many animals and their advocates, the paper argues that Bill C-50 should not be rejected outright as too incremental or ineffectual. Bill C-50 ought to be supported by animal advocates as a significant and positive (albeit modest) stepping stone toward the improved status and welfare of animals in Canada.

The effects of variations in the predictability of appetitive events, such as feeding, have rarely been studied in animals in general or primates in particular. Feeding animals on highly predictable temporal schedules often results in the performance of food anticipatory activity (FAA), characterised by increased arousal and activity and thought to be detrimental to welfare. Temporally unpredictable feeding schedules have been interpreted as resulting in improved welfare. However, if feeding is made unpredictable by preceding it with an unreliable signal, it may result in frustration and aggression. It is suggested here that two distinct but overlapping types of predictability exist. 'Temporal' predictability describes whether an event occurs at fixed or variable intervals, whereas 'signalled' predictability relates to the reliability of a signal preceding the event. This thesis examines the effects of each of these types of predictability in relation to feeding. Welfare was assessed in laboratory-housed common marmosets( Callithrix jacchus) using behavioural measures, which were identified in the context of the routine stressor of human handling and weighing. The signalled and temporal predictability of presentation of a desirable titbit was subsequently experimentally manipulated. It was found that temporally unpredictable presentation of food, preceded by an unreliable signal, was associated with substantially increased stress-related behaviours in this species. If no signal was used, stress increased to a moderate level, but if the food delivery followed a reliable signal there were few behavioural changes compared to control animals. Temporally predictable feeding, without a signal, was associated with lower rates of stress-related behaviour than temporally unpredictable, unsignalled feeding. However, deviations from this temporally predictable schedule, representing delays to feeding, resulted in marked increases in stress. The results were confirmed with a further study, worked around existing feeding routines and using a different primate species, the stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides). Based on these findings it is suggested that the most beneficial schedule for feeding captive primates is a temporally unpredictable one, which appears to buffer animals against the negative effects of delays as well as minimising FAA. Presentation of a reliable signal before food delivery appears to minimise the stress intrinsically associated with a temporally unpredictable routine. These recommendations represent a simple and inexpensive method of improving the welfare of captive primates.

Major animal welfare concerns existed about mortalities which occurred among the two million sheep transported by sea from Victoria, Australia to the Middle East each year during the 1980s. Research was undertaken to better define the extent of the mortalities, to establish the causes of death, and to prioritise and methodically unravel the underlying causes and risk factors involved. / An analysis of five years of existing industry data on 100 sheep shipments from Victoria (1984/85-1988/89) showed that mortality rates ranged mostly between 1% and 4%, with an average of around 2 ½%. These analyses also showed that sporadic episodes of sudden, high mortality occurred in association with hot and humid conditions in Middle Eastern waters. Heat stress was the presumptive diagnosis. While the occurrences were rare, they accounted for 9% of all deaths. / Observational studies undertaken on 8 research voyages with sheep to the Middle East showed that two other causes of death – an inanition syndrome and salmonellosis – accounted for the majority of all mortalities. Together, these two conditions caused around three quarters of all deaths. / The following risk factors associated with these two major diseases were identified: poor feeding behaviour in the assembly feedlot; physiologic stress at the point of arrival of sheep at the feedlot; and the physical location of sheep on board ships, whereby sheep in the upper tier of pens on every deck of a ship suffered substantially higher mortality rates than those in the lower tier. / Specific studies on the inanition syndrome showed that affected sheep were persistent poor consumers of the pelleted shipboard ration. A problem of severe weight loss was detected in an additional 5% of sheep, which appeared to be associated with inanition. Sheep with the syndrome still had an appetite for familiar food such as hay. An hypothesis was developed that the syndrome may be caused by the failure of affected sheep to recognise or accept the pelleted ration as food. / The epidemiology of salmonellosis outbreaks in the live sheep trade was elucidated. The outbreaks occurred as rise and fall epidemics starting with a large increase in faecal salmonella excretion from sheep immediately after their arrival in the assembly feedlot near the port of embarkation. Epidemics of mortalities from salmonellosis peaked one to two weeks later, then declined before the voyage was completed. Evidence was obtained that salmonella infections persisted in the feedlot environment between consecutive batches of sheep initiating new epidemics in subsequent consignments. / The differences in shipboard mortality rates between upper and lower tier pens (the “tier’ effect) was investigated with observational studies and a major field trial. An hypothesis that the effect was caused by higher light intensity in upper tier pens was tested and rejected. A remaining hypothesis is that the sheep’s fear of elevation in upper tier pens may be the cause. / Overall, the research has advanced knowledge substantially on animal health in the live sheep trade. The findings will influence the debate on animal welfare in the trade, they will be of practical use to the industry, and they have focussed research direction for the future.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Jack Miller.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Skara : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2002. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Skara : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2002. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.