Attitudes of clients of Dutch pest controllers towards animal welfare in the management of liminal rodents.

Autor:	van Gerwen MA; Centre for Sustainable Animal Stewardship, Division of Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands., Rodenburg TB; Division of Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands., Arndt SS; Division of Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands., Meerburg BG; Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands.; Dutch Pest & Wildlife Expertise Centre (Stichting Kennis- en Adviescentrum Dierplagen, KAD), Nudepark 145, 6702 DZ Wageningen, The Netherlands., Meijboom FL; Centre for Sustainable Animal Stewardship, Division of Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Animal welfare (South Mimms, England) [Anim Welf] 2023 May 26; Vol. 32, pp. e41. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 May 26 (Print Publication: 2023).
DOI:	10.1017/awf.2023.35
Abstrakt:	Rodent control tends to involve methods that cause animal suffering, but little attention has been paid to the animal welfare implications of rodent control. The aim of the current study was to gain insight into the opinions and attitudes of clients of Dutch pest controllers, regarding liminal rodents, rodent control, and rodent welfare. A better understanding of their attitudes may contribute to more ethical rodent management programmes. An online survey among 248 clients of Dutch pest controllers was carried out. Respondents, especially those within the agricultural sector, have a relatively negative attitude towards rats and mice. Respondents in the agricultural subgroup do not consider the welfare of liminal rodents important. They also think that the welfare impact of commonly used control methods is limited, and they have low tolerance levels for the presence of rodents. Respondents from other sectors have a far more positive attitude towards rats and mice, consider their welfare to be of greater importance, have a greater estimation of the welfare impact of control methods and show greater tolerance levels towards rodents. The respondents from the latter subgroup have a similar attitude compared to Dutch pest controllers participating in a previous survey. The findings of the current study firstly provide useful information for the further development and practical implementation of preventive control methods. Secondly, they provide input for a more animal-friendly rodent control and for the development of an assessment framework to support ethical decision-making. Finally, they can be helpful for further research and the communication and co-operation between professional pest controllers and their clients. Competing Interests: None. (© The Author(s) 2023.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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