Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The present research set out to explore parents‟ perceptions of therapeutic horseback riding as an activity for their children with multiple disabilities. It was designed to explore their vicarious experiences of the activity as well as their perceptions of their children‟s experiences of the activity. In order to achieve this, a semi-structured interview was set up with 12 parents whose children participate in therapeutic horseback riding at the South African Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA) in Constantia, Cape Town. The children ranged in age from 6-17 years and had a range of disabilities including physical and intellectual disabilities. Upon completion of the interviews, the data was transcribed by the researcher and analysed using thematic analysis. Following thematic analysis, three themes emerged: the effects of therapeutic horseback riding on the children, parents‟ personal experiences of therapeutic horseback riding and SARDA, and parents‟ perceived reasons for the improvements in their children. These results are supported by results in existing literature. The results however also address a gap in the existing literature regarding parents‟ perceptions of therapeutic horseback riding and their children‟s experiences of the activity. Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die huidige navorsing het ten doel om ouers se persepsie ten opsigte van terapeutiese perdry as aktiwiteit vir hul kinders met verskillende vorms van gestremdheid te ondersoek. Daar is gepoog om sowel die ouers as die kinders se ondervinding van die aktiwiteit te bepaal. Ten einde die doelwit te bereik is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gereël met twaalf ouers wie se kinders aan die terapeutiese perdry by die South African Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA) in Constantia, Kaapstad deelneem. Die kinders se ouderdomme het gewissel tussen 6 en 17 jaar en hulle het 'n verskeidenheid van gestremdhede gehad wat beide fisiese en intellektuele gestremdhede ingesluit het. Na afhandeling van die onderhoude, is die data opgeteken deur die navorser en verwerk deur gebruik te maak van tematiese analise. Uit die tematiese analise het die volgende drie patrone duidelik geword: Die effek van terapeutiese perdry op die kinders, ouers se persoonlike ondervinding van terapeutiese perdry en SARDA en ouers se persepsie van die redes vir verbetering in hul kinders. Hierdie resultate word ondersteun deur bestaande literatuur. Die resultate vul ook „n gaping in bestaande literatuur aan ten opsigte van die ouers se persepsie van terapeutiese perdry en ook ouers en hul kinders se ervaring van die aktiwiteit.

Thesis (MEd(Psych))-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The background experiences of adolescents removed from their families and placed in residential care are often characterised by trauma, abuse and neglect, resulting in significant psychological and developmental implications. However, as a result of their negative past experiences, many of these individuals view other people, including helping professionals, with mistrust or apprehension, influencing their openness to and thus the effectiveness of traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is explored within this study as an alternative non-invasive approach which aims to meet the emotional and developmental needs of vulnerable and difficult-to-reach adolescents. Innate characteristics of horses seem to encourage individuals to engage fully in the psychotherapeutic process making them well-suited to the role of co-therapist within the therapeutic team. This study aimed to explore the experiences of adolescents living within residential care who had participated in an EAP program for approximately eight months, and the affects their participation had within their lives. A qualitative study founded within the interpretive paradigm was used to gain insight into the research questions. Participants were selected using purposive and convenient sampling techniques. Following this, data was obtained through semi-structured interviews, the researcher’s reflective journal, and a focus group discussion. Inductive data segmentation and reassembling techniques were utilised to analyse the data. The findings were integrated and presented as a case study. The research findings indicated that the participants experienced various learning and development opportunities through their participation in EAP. They were able to establish connections which led to improved psychological, social, and physical well-being. The implicit integration of the Circle of Courage principles of mastery, belonging, generosity and independence within the EAP process was also explored and documented for the first time within this text. The findings were related to resilience theory in order to depict EAP as a psychotherapeutic approach which serves to foster resilience for vulnerable adolescents, namely those placed within residential care in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die agtergrond ervaringe van adolessente wat verwyder is uit hul ouerhuise en in residensiële sorg geplaas is, word dikwels gekenmerk deur trauma, mishandeling en verwaarlosing, met beduidende gepaardgaande sielkundige - en ontwikkelingsimplikasies. Voortvloeiend uit hul negatiewe ervaringe van die verlede, is dit moeilik vir sommige van hierdie individue om ander mense, en dit sluit professionele mense in die hulp-professies in, te vertrou en sonder bedugtheid te benader. Dit beïnvloed hul openlikheid en dus die effektiwiteit van tradisionele psigoterapeutiese intervensies. Perd-ondersteunde psigoterapie (Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, EAP) word ondersoek in hierdie studie as ‘n alternatiewe, nie-indringende benadering, waarvan die doel is om die emosionele - en ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van weerlose en moeilik-bereikbare adolessente mee aan te spreek. Dit wil voorkom asof ingebore eienskappe van perde individue aanmoedig om ten volle deel te neem aan die psigoterapeutiese proses, en dit maak die perde baie geskik om as hulp-terapeute op te tree binne die terapeutiese span. Hierdie studie beoog om die ervaringe van adolessente in residensiële sorg, en wat vir agt maande deelgeneem het aan ‘n EAP program, te ondersoek, sowel as die effek wat hierdie deelname op hul lewens gehad het. ‘n Kwalitatiewe studie gebaseer op die interpretatiewe paradigma is gebruik om insig te verkry in die navorsingsvrae. Deelnemers is geselekteer deur doelgerigte - en gerieflikheidstegnieke te gebruik. Hierna is data verkry deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, die navorser se reflektiewe joernaal en ‘n fokusgroep onderhoud. Induktiewe data segmentasie en hersamestellingstegnieke is gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die bevindinge is geïntegreer en aangebied as ‘n gevallestudie. Die bevindige van die studie dui aan dat die deelnemers verskeie leer- en ontwikkelingsgeleenthede ervaar het deur hul deelname aan EAP. Hulle was in staat om konneksies te maak wat bygedra het tot sielkundige, sosiale en fisiese welsyn. The research findings indicated that the participants experienced various learning and development opportunities through their participation in EAP. Die implisiete integrasie van die beginsels van die ‘Circle of Courage’, naamlik bemeestering, behoort aan, ruimhartigheid en onafhanklikheid, is binne die EAP proses ondersoek en vir die eerste keer in hierdie teks gedokumenteer. Die bevindinge is vergelyk met veerkragtigheid teorie om EAP as ‘n psigoterapeutiese benadering te beskryf wat veerkragtigheid aanmoedig by weerlose adolessente, naamlik dié wat in residensiële sorg geplaas is en aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het.

Cada vez mais o bem-estar animal (BEA) está ganhando espaço no cenário mundial, tanto pela pressão dos países importadores, quanto pela demanda de uma sociedade mais consciente em relação às condições de vida dos animais de produção. Apesar da preocupação crescente com o BEA, são escassos os estudos sobre o bem-estar humano (BEH) nas fazendas e como ele poderia influenciar o BEA. Dessa maneira, a presente pesquisa teve como principais objetivos: analisar a relação entre bem-estar humano e bem-estar animal em propriedades leiteiras e a influência do treinamento nas atitudes, no comportamento, no conhecimento técnico de manejadores (trabalhadores e proprietários) e no medo experimentado por vacas leiteiras. As principais conclusões foram que fazendas pontuadas em nível bom de BEA apresentaram maior pontuação de BEH e fazendas pontuadas em nível aceitável de BEA apresentaram menor pontuação de BEH. Em adição, o treinamento foi positivo no comportamento humano em relação às vacas leiteiras, na diminuição do medo que as vacas têm do humano e no conhecimento técnico em BEA. De acordo com esses resultados, quanto maior o nível de BEH maior o nível BEA e o treinamento em BEA influenciou os comportamentos, os conhecimentos técnicos, o medo em vacas e as atitudes dos trabalhadores. / Increasingly, animal welfare (AW) has been gaining ground on the world stage, both by pressure from importing countries, as the demand for a more conscious society regarding the living conditions for farm animals. Despite the growing concern on AW, there are few studies on human welfare (SW) in farms and how it could influence AW. Thus, the present study aimed: to analyze the relationship between stockpeople welfare and animal welfare in dairy farms and the influence of training on attitudes, behaviour, technical expertise of stockpeople (employees and owners) and fear experienced by dairy cattle. The main conclusions were that farms scored in good AW level had a higher SW score and farms scored in acceptable AW level had lower SW scores. In addition, training was positive on human behaviour towards dairy cows, on reducing fearful cows, and on AW technical expertise. According to these results, the higher AW\'s level, the higher SW\'s level.

Ett samband har påvisats mellan våld mot djur och våld i nära relation. Forskning betonar därför vikten av att yrkesverksamma besitter kunskap om detta samband som en del i att förebygga, identifiera och motverka våld i nära relation. Syftet med detta arbete var att undersöka socialtjänstens organisatoriska förutsättningar till att inta ett sällskapsdjursinkluderande förhållningsätt i arbetet med våld i nära relation. Med hänvisningar till bandet mellan människa och djur samt teorin om socialt stöd betonas den vinst som står att finna i ett förhållningssätt av detta slag. Som datainsamlingsmetod hölls semi-strukturerade intervjuer med sex socialarbetare verksamma inom området våld i nära relation i sex kommuner i Mellansverige. Framkommen data behandlades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys, och resultaten visar att om än vissa socialarbetare eftersträvar att inkludera djur, tenderar djur överlag stå lågt ner på socialtjänstens agenda. Genom nationella riktlinjer skulle därför ett enhetligare och mer metodiskt tillhandahållande av stöd kunna åstadkommas. / There is a link between violence against animals and domestic violence. Research emphasizes the importance of professionals possessing knowledge about the link as part of preventing, identifying and counteracting domestic violence. The purpose of this paper was to examine the social services' organizational conditions in adopting a pet-inclusive approach in the work with domestic violence. With references to the human-animal bond and the theory of social support, I emphasized the gain found in an approach of this kind. As method for data collection, semi-structured interviews were held with six social workers active in the field of domestic violence, from six municipalities in the middle parts of Sweden. Qualitative content analysis was then conducted, and the results indicate that although some social workers strive to include animals, animals generally have low priority on the social services agenda. A more consistent and effective provision of support could be achieved through national guidelines.

Cada vez mais o bem-estar animal (BEA) está ganhando espaço no cenário mundial, tanto pela pressão dos países importadores, quanto pela demanda de uma sociedade mais consciente em relação às condições de vida dos animais de produção. Apesar da preocupação crescente com o BEA, são escassos os estudos sobre o bem-estar humano (BEH) nas fazendas e como ele poderia influenciar o BEA. Dessa maneira, a presente pesquisa teve como principais objetivos: analisar a relação entre bem-estar humano e bem-estar animal em propriedades leiteiras e a influência do treinamento nas atitudes, no comportamento, no conhecimento técnico de manejadores (trabalhadores e proprietários) e no medo experimentado por vacas leiteiras. As principais conclusões foram que fazendas pontuadas em nível bom de BEA apresentaram maior pontuação de BEH e fazendas pontuadas em nível aceitável de BEA apresentaram menor pontuação de BEH. Em adição, o treinamento foi positivo no comportamento humano em relação às vacas leiteiras, na diminuição do medo que as vacas têm do humano e no conhecimento técnico em BEA. De acordo com esses resultados, quanto maior o nível de BEH maior o nível BEA e o treinamento em BEA influenciou os comportamentos, os conhecimentos técnicos, o medo em vacas e as atitudes dos trabalhadores. / Increasingly, animal welfare (AW) has been gaining ground on the world stage, both by pressure from importing countries, as the demand for a more conscious society regarding the living conditions for farm animals. Despite the growing concern on AW, there are few studies on human welfare (SW) in farms and how it could influence AW. Thus, the present study aimed: to analyze the relationship between stockpeople welfare and animal welfare in dairy farms and the influence of training on attitudes, behaviour, technical expertise of stockpeople (employees and owners) and fear experienced by dairy cattle. The main conclusions were that farms scored in good AW level had a higher SW score and farms scored in acceptable AW level had lower SW scores. In addition, training was positive on human behaviour towards dairy cows, on reducing fearful cows, and on AW technical expertise. According to these results, the higher AW\'s level, the higher SW\'s level.

Este trabalho trata de estudo acerca da relação contemporânea entre humanos e animais no contexto das Terapias Assistidas por Animais – TAA, prática terapêutica crescente na promoção da saúde humana. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada através da observação participante de diferentes projetos de TAA, desenvolvidos em hospitais públicos e casas geriátricas, nas cidades de Porto Alegre, São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Metodologicamente esta pesquisa apoiase, fundamentalmente, na etnografia das sessões terapêuticas, com o objetivo de perceber alguns dos princípios que estruturam a prática, sobretudo no que tange à relação humanoanimal e à interação entre os seres que participam do processo terapêutico. Como horizonte teórico, debruceime sobre o pensamento de Tim Ingold, cuja base analítica assentase na consideração de que as ligações que estabelecemos com a natureza, seres e coisas fazem emergir práticas e estilos de vida, como uma chave pragmática para pensar o afloramento de sensibilidades e mundos. Essa proposição tem um caráter prático servindome como suporte junto aos trabalhos de Andrés Georges Haudricourt, Carole Ferret e Perig Pitrou, para tentar entender alguns meandros dessa relação, tomando como base as ações trocadas entre os humanos e os animais, durante a sessão terapêutica. Exploramos, igualmente, alguns discursos relacionados às ações trocadas entre os participantes da sessão, nos aproximando do que se poderia chamar de uma racionalidade terapêutica, de acordo com o pensamento de Madel Luz (2005), que seria própria da atividade, ligandoa ao sistema de saúde convencional, mas também oferecendo inúmeros novos modos de relação e com a ampliação das maneiras de expressão. A terapia em questão, enquanto tecnologia de cuidado, se adapta aos preceitos da Reforma Sanitária e da Reforma Psiquiátrica (Amarante, 1992), pois abrange processos de mudanças em nível legislativo, político, teórico e prático. Este trabalho aponta para uma forma diversificada de técnica terapêutica cujo dispositivo terapêutico está associado à interação do paciente com um animal permitindo, com isso, a crítica aos processos de medicalização da vida (Illich, 1975; Gaudenzi e Ortega, 2012) em acordo apelo para que outros atores sociais entrem em contato com os “doentes”, além dos médicos e enfermeiros (Palombini, 2012). Os animais, sob o amparo de movimentos em defesa dos animais e dos benefícios (fisiológicos e afetivos) advindos da interação interespecífica na TAA, ocupam o prestigiado estatuto de “terapeutas”. / This work deals with a study about the contemporary relationship between humans and animals in the context of Animal Assisted Therapies TAA, a growing therapeutic practice in the promotion of human health. The field research was carried out through participant observation of different TAA projects, developed in public hospitals and geriatric homes, in the cities of Porto Alegre, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methodologically, this research is based essentially on the ethnography of the therapeutic sessions, in order to perceive some of the principles that structure the practice, especially regarding the humananimal relationship and the interaction between the beings that participate in the therapeutic process. As a theoretical horizon, I focused on the thinking of Tim Ingold, whose analytical basis rests on the consideration that the bonds we establish with nature, beings and things, emerge practices and lifestyles, as a pragmatic key to thinking the outcrop of sensibilities and worlds. This proposition has a practical character serving as a support with the works of Andres Georges Haudricourt, Carole Ferret and Perig Pitrou, to try to understand some meanders of this relationship, based on the actions exchanged between humans and animals, during the therapeutic session. We also explored some discourses related to the actions exchanged between the participants of the session, approaching what could be called a therapeutic rationality, according to the thought of Madel Luz (2005), which would be characteristic of the activity, linking it to the Conventional health system, but also offering innumerable new ways of relating and expanding the ways of expression. The therapy in question, as a care technology, adapts to the precepts of Sanitary Reform and Psychiatric Reform (Amarante, 1992), since it encompasses processes of changes at the legislative, political, theoretical and practical levels. This work points to a diversified form of therapeutic technique whose therapeutic device is associated with the patient's interaction with an animal, thus allowing criticism of the medicalization of life processes (Illich, 1975; Gaudenzi and Ortega, 2012). that other social actors come in contact with the "patients", besides doctors and nurses (Palombini, 2012). The animals, under the protection of movements in defense of the animals and the benefits (physiological and affective) arising from interspecific interaction in the TAA, occupy the prestigious status of “therapists”.

This thesis is a study of constructions of reality in visual and textual representations in current exhibitions in the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm with comparisons to the Natural History Museum in Gothenburg and minor excursions to other museums. The study also includes seven giant screen films in Cosmonova: an IMAX theatre which is part of the Swedish Museum of Natural History. The study consists of three parts: I. Historical and theoretical contextualisation: The emergence of museums is understood as an aspect of modernity and nature, and analytical concepts from semiotics, deconstruction and discourse analysis are presented and discussed. This part also includes a discussion of anthropomorphism and andropocentric stereotyping and a study of the emergence of the environmental question in society, science, museums and in the disciplines of sociology and cultural studies. II. Empirical analysis: Starting with questions what stories modern exhibitions in museums of natural history tell and how animals, bodies, humans and the environment are represented in the exhibitions and films I discuss different aspects of the dualism of nature and culture in relation to other dualisms such as animal/human, nature/society and ecology/economy. The dualism nature/culture that is expressed in exclusions of conventional signs for human culture is problematic from an environmental perspective. I pose the question of whether or not the marginalized phenomenon of the cabinet of curiosity that combine both “naturalia” and “artificialia” and displays phenomena classified as abnormal, can provide a key to narratives about co-evolution, environmental issues and variations in morphology and behaviour. III. Discussion: The potential for transcending the dualism of nature and culture, both theoretically-and practically-speaking, and particularly in relation to the environmental question, is discussed, as is the possibility that museums can be(come) reflexive sub-political arenas for dialogues between politics, science and people.

The backbone of this study was a systems thinking based analysis of the management and control of predators as practiced in South Africa since the advent of Europeans in 1652. The first bounties were introduced for a variety of animal species in 1656. Many species became labeled as vermin and were persecuted, often with the intention of eradication. A variety of controls have been applied, of which many have not kept pace with contemporary thinking or technology, and which by simply killing predators fail to address the crux of the issue of predator – livestock conflict. Many of the methods used cannot be applied to specifically remove an individual damage-causing animal. Considerable collateral ecological damage is inflicted by the killing of animals regarded as innocent bystanders. The objective of the analysis was to highlight the futility of temporary solutions which fail to resolve the conflict in the long term. These quick fixes frequently perpetuate an ecological imbalance which exacerbates the predator – livestock conflict. The analysis used raw data from a questionnaire survey conducted by the Poison Working Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT-PWG) (2003). The EWT-PWG intended to assess pesticide abuse as toxicant for predators by farmers, and to identify all control methods used. The data forthcoming was Cartesian in nature and a fixed snap-shot in time. This study sought to identify the root cause of the conflict by applying systems thinking which added the dimension of cause and effect interrogation. The study categorised and described predator conflict management methods as lethal or preventative, and assessed each category in archetypal terms from a systems thinking perspective. It also sought to identify leverage points, or small changes which have profound effects, to stimulate a change in approach to humanpredator conflict management. In order to assess and illustrate the positive change brought about by application of preventative methods, a small group of farmers who had initiated changes in their predator conflict management over the five years subsequent to the EWTPWG survey were selected from the original group for reassessment. Through evaluation of predator conflict management methods from a systems thinking perspective, and by probing learning processes, the shortcomings or failure of inappropriate management responses to conflict situations were shown to exacerbate conflicts. Contrarily, it was illustrated that application of systems thinking and a process of addressing the root cause of conflict issues in predator conflict management, was a longer term solution. The study illustrated that application of long term proactive prevention and conflict avoidance principles, can offer long term solutions for predator conflict managers. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Masai Mara, a large nature reserve in south-western Kenya, was created in the midst of semi-arid agropastoralist rangelands to protect wildlife. Wildlife and indigenous people co-existed for many years, usually with limited conflict; but in recent years, the conflict has intensified, mainly due to increasing human population, changing land use patterns, and altered perceptions of wildlife. This study examines the causes and nature of wildlife-human conflict in the Masai rangelands of Kenya, and considers how wildlife conservation and human development needs can best be integrated. / Findings indicate that common conflicts are livestock depredation and crop damage, human deaths or injuries, transmission of diseases, and competition for resources. Land surrounding the reserve can be divided into two distinct topographic and agroclimatic regions. The degree of conflict is spatially varied within the region. Upland ranches have high land use potential, high human and livestock population densities, and more development of agriculture. They experience limited conflict with wildlife. Lowland ranches are more arid, have lower human population density and little agriculture, but have high wildlife and livestock population densities and experience a high degree of conflict. These conflicts vary seasonally, and with distance from the protected area. / Perceptions of wildlife and attitudes towards conservation are related to past experience with wildlife. The degree of loss, effectiveness of damage control, fairness of government compensation, and involvement in wildlife tourism affect the degree of tolerance for wildlife conflict. Various socio-economic factors including level of education, knowledge of conservation priorities, and system of land ownership are related to attitudes towards wildlife. As human activity increases in the region, wildlife is more likely to be displaced. Because most animals are migratory, conflict in the land surrounding the reserve puts the viability of animal population in the protected area in question. / A two-phase program for integrating wildlife conservation with human needs is proposed. The first phase involves designation of the region into four zones: Zone A--the protected area, Zone B--the peripheral area, Zone C--multiple use, and Zone D--agriculture. The second phase of the program is the integration of the wildlife conservation with human interests through: community wildlife-damage-control, compensation for loss, sharing of tourism benefits with local people, conservation education, and local participation in wildlife conservation policy. The program provides a framework within which operational decisions can be made, and serves broader natural resource management and community development objectives in the rangelands.

Practical aid to understanding vision impairment on page xxvii unable to be scanned. Please see http://www.rnzfb.org.nz/eye-conditions for this information. / The relationship between guide dog handlers in New Zealand and their guide dogs was investigated to identify the reasons why some partnerships are successful while others are not. A two-part study was designed to explore the match between the handler and the dog to improve the outcome of the matching process. A focus group discussion with people who had a range of visual acuity and experience with mobility aids was conducted as a preliminary measure to help develop the survey questionnaire that was used in the second part of the study. Fifty current and/or previous handlers, who had used a total of 118 dogs, were interviewed about their prior expectations and the outcome of the partnerships. Results indicated that the majority of matches were successful, and quality of life was improved for most participants because of using a dog. Around a quarter of the matches were considered unsuccessful, although not all mismatched dogs were returned. Mismatches arose predominantly from problems concerning the dogs' working behaviour followed by the dogs' social/home behaviour. However, dogs were also returned for health problems and a few were returned for personal issues concerning the handler. Compatibility between the handler and the dog, and the fulfilment of expectations were positively associated with better matches. Factors relating to mobility, including a handler's ability to control a dog, made the biggest contribution to success, but non-work related issues, such as companionship and enhancement of social interactions were also significant. Other factors that appeared to be associated with a good outcome included an accurate assessment of workload, having a good relationship with the guide dog instructor, and having a little useful vision - especially if this deteriorated over the time a dog was used. Other findings suggested that the use of a dog improved travel performance, regardless of how well the participants' perceived their travel ability to have been before the dog was acquired, and that second dogs were less favoured than the first ones. These results have permitted a series of recommendations to be proposed to the guide dog industry regarding characteristics of handler and dog that are important for a successful match.