Wild animals and ethics.

RE: Wild animals and ethics.

joanne mcallister — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 07:58:29 GMT

Absolutely agree. We treat wildlife and my pet hate is staff giving them names as I think they then view them differently, as pets rather than wild animals

RE: Wild animals and ethics.

Anthony Dennison — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 18:23:41 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Unless it is more than a day later, I still say take it back. Parents rarely leave entirely, as they are often feeding more than one, they will call for ages, and the babies are amazingly resilient! [/quote]

We had a little pied wagtail fledgling that somehow ended up in our suspended ceiling. We found it (after searching for it all day!) and put it on the roof. Parents soon flitted over to check back on it.

RE: Wild animals and ethics.

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 17:11:54 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Yet the RSPCA, despite the posters they send out suggesting just this, still tell the MOP to take them to the vet, by which time it is of course too late take them back as they're over-stressed and the mother has buggered off. [/quote]

I feel sorry for the RSPCA on this one. MOPs always say 'it looks ill/injured' so they have little choice than to say go to the vet. Few people recognise fledglings.

Unless it is more than a day later, I still say take it back. Parents rarely leave entirely, as they are often feeding more than one, they will call for ages, and the babies are amazingly resilient! (People still believe the myth that a touched nest/fledgling will be abandoned, which is simply not true in most cases.)

RE: Wild animals and ethics.

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 16:05:08 GMT

Absolutely in agreement with the overall consensus on this point. I tell members of the public to leave fledglings where they are - yes it may end up as a meal but that is the circle of life. Yet the RSPCA, despite the posters they send out suggesting just this, still tell the MOP to take them to the vet, by which time it is of course too late take them back as they're over-stressed and the mother has buggered off. Trouble is they don't realise we would be knee deep in injured pigeons if we took everything in they brought to us and think we're just heartless and cruel.

RE: Wild animals and ethics.

Niall Taylor — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 15:37:19 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]Lots of different interesting points in this one post.

We are not sure that it is having seizures. I was suggesting releasing it if there was nothing medically wrong...[/quote]

Much as I know how much we all enjoy a good vilification I broadly agree with your post! There is massively too much sentimentality over wildlife, I have had to be physically restrained on occasion from launching projectiles at the screen while watching springwatch. And don't get me started on 'rewilding'

Niall

RE: Wild animals and ethics.

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 06:45:52 GMT

I actually agree with you Evelyn. Same situation as putting the fledgling back where you found it, (yes, it might die, but better chances long term than with hand rearing) and I will euthanase anything that cannot be quickly returned to a wild state. (Things like hedgehogs, waterfowl and pigeons that can happily plod around a garden or pond while getting returned to full health I'll help to rehabilitate.)

If the animal has a chance at full return to the wild, and specialist rehab is available, then fair enough. I can't bear all these backyard rescues that end up keeping wild animals in cages for the duration of their lives. One near me has buzzards in an aviary.

RE: Wild animals and ethics.

Robert FalconerTaylor — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 06:14:50 GMT

Interesting philosophical article in vet record recently with ref. to the notion of the hare becoming a 'companion animal' - quote...

"Companion animal veterinary work can be distinguished from other veterinary contexts, for example, laboratory animal or farm animal practice,36 because interventions on companion animals should always be in the ‘best interest of the patient’. In contrast, interventions in laboratory animal and farm animal practice are for the benefit of individuals and societies other than the animals themselves. Hence, companion animal clinical practice is ‘patient centred’. However, treatment in the ‘best interest of the patient’ may cause harm in order to restore or maintain the patient’s health. For instance, surgical treatment of a brachycephalic dog with severe breathing problems can easily be justified because of the anticipated improvement to the dog’s ability to breath."

REF. Drawing the line in clinical treatment of companion animals: recommendations from an ethics working party http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/182/23/664