The Inhumane Treatment of Animals
By:
Patrick Malone
Jay Brown
Brynne Gaffney
Lindsey Black
Bethany Critchley


Franklin Pierce University is a small, private regionally accredited University grounded in the liberal arts, with a focus on personal attention and high-quality instruction.

The college at Rindge consists of 1,400 undergraduate students.


We are conducting research to determine whether students at Franklin Pierce consider the inhumane treatment of animals when purchasing consumer products and services.


Access the literature related to using inhumane practices on animals when developing products.

Determine the awareness level of the inhumane treatment of animals.

Determine student opinions and attitudes related to inhumane treatment of animals.


Animal welfare- the avoidance of abuse and exploitation of animals by humans by maintaining appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and general care, the prevention and treatment of disease, and the assurance of freedom of harassment, and unnecessary discomfort and pain

Animal cruelty- the crime of inflicting physical pain, suffering, or death on an animal, usually a tame one, beyond necessity for normal discipline

Inhumane treatment- a cruel act; a deliberate infliction of pain and suffering

Animal testing- the use of non-human animals in research and development projects, especially for purposes determining the safety of substances such as food or drugs

Animal Feedlot Operations- agricultural operations where animals are kept and raised in confined situations


Inhumane Animal Treatment for Biomedical Research
• 1937- “Elixir Sulfanilamide” was put on the marketover 100 deaths occurred.
• Due to this incident and many others, animal experimentation was developed in the biomedical industry.(4)
• In the US alone, millions of animals are tested per year.

Only 5% of the drugs that show potential in animals ever get licensed for human use. ()


Inhumane Animal Treatment in the Fashion Industry

In recent years, the influence of animal welfare groups has played a major role in swaying customer values.

The use of technologies such as television and internet has allowed these groups to reach a larger group of people.

One 2008 study found that a growing population (19%) of the sample, were motivated to purchase clothing based on an animal welfare designation.()


Inhumane Animal Treatment in Entertainment

Examples: horse racing, dog racing, dog fighting, circuses, zoo’s, etc..

Often times these forms of entertainment stay out of the public eye.

Ex: “Hog Dog Rodeo.” (2)


Inhumane Animal Treatment in the Food Industry

Pilgrims Pride plant in Moorefield, West Virginia.

Supplies to KFC

Video Released by an undercover animal rights activist said to “contain some of the worst scenes of animal cruelty ever witnessed.” (7)


Inhumane Animal Treatment in the Food Industry, cont’d

Heather McLeod-Kilmurray created a study titled
“Commoditizing Non-human Animals and their
Consumers: Industrial livestock production, animal welfare, and ecological justice.”(6)

Looks into the effects of Factory Farming


Inhumane Animal Treatment in the Cosmetics
Industry.

Animals such as rabbits, pigs, mice, rats, and dogs are used in cosmetic product testing.

Many products today are labeled “cruelty free,” although often times this is only referring to the finished product. (5)


Problem Identification

The problem that the research group identified was that students of Franklin Pierce University may not be aware of the treatment and overall welfare of animals used for the production of consumer products and services.

Development of Survey

Group determined topics most crucial to research

Conducted a literature review

Used Literature review and research objectives to create 14 questions to future our research


Definition of Population

Student body at Franklin Pierce University on the Rindge campus

Current student body is approximately 1,400 undergraduate

Sample Size

160 students

20 male and 20 females from each class


Data Collection Method

Group used non-probability convenience sampling method

Self-administered survey approach

The 5 members attempted to hand out 40 surveys each

Over sampling ensured that we had needed number of responses for each gender and class


Assumptions

We feel that all respondents answered completely, truthfully, and accurately.

Limitations

The amount of time it took to get freshman and sophomore respondents to answer our survey.

A probability sampling method would have been more desirable as we would have been able to directly choose who we wanted to take our survey.

Lack of interest of the respondents.

Some respondents did not fill out the back of the survey.

Questio
Do you consider the inhumane treatment of animals when purchasing consumer products (ie: food, cosmetics, n #1
26.25%
No
Yes
73.75%

Questio
Are you aware of inhumane treatment of animals in the medical n #2a industry?
30.62%
No
Yes
69.38%

Questio
Are you aware of inhumane treatment of animals in n #2b the fashion industry?
43.75%
No
Yes
56.25%

Questio
n #2c
32.5%
No
Yes
67.5%

Questio
Are you aware of inhumane treatment of animals in the Food n #2d industry?
30.62%
No
Yes
69.38%

Questio
Are you aware of inhumane treatment of animals in n #2e
37.5%
No
Yes
62.5%

Questio
n #2f
27.5%
No
Yes
72.5%

Questio
Have you ever been exposed to dog racing?
n #3a
24.37%
No
Yes
75.63%

Questio
Have you ever been exposed to horse racing? n #3b
36.87%
No
Yes
63.13%

Questio
n #3c
10%
No
Yes
90%

Questio
n #3d
12.5%
No
Yes
87.5%

Questio
n #3e
35.62%
No
Yes
64.38%

Questio
If you became aware that an everyday product you use is inhumanely tested on animals would you continue further n #4 purchases of this product?
.6%
27.5% No
Yes
Missing
71.9%

Questio
How important is the humane treatment of animals to you when purchasing consumer products? n #5
10.6%
.6%
18.1%
17.5%
Missing
Very Important - 1
2
3
4
Not Important - 5
Mean = 2.81
n = 159
33.8%
19.4%

Questio
Do you support the experimentation of medical n #6 on animals for medical advancements?
.6%
37.5% No
Yes
Missing
61.9%

Questio n #7
13.1% No
Yes
86.9%

Questio
5% .6% diet.
94.4%
Carnivore
Vegetarian
Missing

59.4%
Questio
Have you ever heard of factory farming prior to taking this n #9
.6% survey?
40%
No
Yes
Missing

Questio
Do you patronize food businesses that are engaged in n #10 factory farming?
.6%
23.1%
No
Yes
Not Sure
Missing
58.8%
17.5%

Questio
n #11
.6%
49.4%
50%
Female
Male
Missing

Questio
What is your class standing? n #12
25%
1%
25%
Senior
Junior
Sophomore
Freshmen
Missing
25% 24%

Questio
What is your ethnicity?
n #13
White
4.4%
Black or African
American
Asian
1.3%
4.4%
.6%
.6%
Hispanic or Latino
Other
Missing
88.8%

Questio
n #14
1.3%
16.3%
35.6%
Urban
Suburban
Rural
Missing
46.9%

#1: Do you consider the inhumane treatment of animals when purchasing consumer products (ie: food, cosmetics, entertainment, medicine, clothing etc.)? vs. What is your gender?
What is your gender?
Male Female
64 54
Total
118 No
Do you consider the inhumane treatment of animals when purchasing consumer products (ie: food, cosmetics, entertainment, medicine, clothing etc.)?
Yes 15 26 41
Total 79 80 159

#2: If you became aware that an everyday product you use is inhumanely tested on animals would you continue further purchases of this product? vs. Do you own a pet?
No
Do you own a pet?
No Yes
12 103
Total
115
If you became aware that an everyday product you use is inhumanely tested on animals would you continue further purchases of this product?
Yes 9 35 44
Total 21 138 159

#3: Are you aware of inhumane treatment of animals in the fashion and cosmetics industries? vs. What is your gender?
Are you aware of inhumane treatment of animals in the fashion industry?
No
Yes
Total
No
Are you aware of inhumane treatment of animals in the cosmetics industry?
Yes
Total
What is your gender?
Male Female
32 20
Total
52
47 60 107
79 80 159
What is your gender?
Male Female
44 25
Total
69
35 55 90
79 80 159


The student body shows an overall low awareness level in regards to the inhumane treatment of animals when purchasing consumer products and services.

73.75 % of the students surveyed said that they did not consider the inhumane treatment of animals when purchasing consumer goods and services.

The student body shows a higher awareness level in regards to the different types of animal cruelty we face today.
 ex; increased level in awareness of animal cruelty in the fashion, cosmetic, medical, and food industries.


Research objective # 1:

Our group accessed literature pertaining to the related topic of using inhumane practices on animals when developing products and services for consumers. Our group researched and assessed industries in which such practices take place such as biomedical research, fashion, entertainment, cosmetic, and food industries.


Research objective 2- student awareness levels of inhumane treatment of animals:

Medical- 69.83 % yes

Fashion- 56.25% yes

Cosmetics- 67.5% yes

Food- 69.38% yes

Entertainment- 62.5% no

Recreation- 72.5% no

Heard of factory farming- 59.4% yes

Patronizing factory farming- 58.8 % not sure/ 23.1% no


Research objective 3- student opinions and attitudes in regards to the inhumane treatment of animals:

Continued purchases- 71.9% no

How important- roughly 60 % yes

Support medical testing- 61.9% no


We recommend that a club rooted around the inhumane treatment of animals should be created on campus.

We also recommend that FPTV take into consideration our own version of an inhumane treatment of animals awareness commercial to be aired on their station.

Through these actions, we can hope to not only increase awareness in the student body, but influence them to consider the inhumane treatment of animals when purchasing consumer products and services.

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