Justification of keeping pet birds – animal welfare science and ethics approach

• Main Authors: Shawn Peng, 彭仁隆
• Other Authors: 昌勇費
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/01625336665211703136

博士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 獸醫學研究所 === 102 === There are many arguments both for and against keeping pet birds. From the negative effects that captivity has on the health of the captive bird to the positive effects that companion animals such as birds have towards humans. This paper is intended to discuss and investigate both the ethical and scientific arguments used as justification both for and against the keeping of birds as pets. We focus on discussing the issues relating directly to the physical and psychological well-being by two case studies, first study aims to investigate the essentialness of flight and welfare assessment of flight restraint in captive birds, using animal-based measurement. Ten wild-caught great mynahs (Acridotheres grandis) were chosen as subject and evaluated in pathology, ethology and physiology studies. We found that though wing amputation did not result in neuroma formation, strength of pectoralis muscle diminished significantly in birds with flight restraint. And the birds indicated higher preference for spaces that were bigger or with higher vertical space with or without food provided. The second study was to reduce feather-plucking behaviour in a pair of sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) and to find the underlying cause of the behaviour. The study was carried out via the application of a number of treatments including medicine (Haloperidol), socialisation, training and feeding enrichment. These results of both studies are significant and can be concluded that it is not ethically right to keep birds as pets due to lack of stimulation in capativity and result in behavioural problems. Meanwhile, pet birds considered in poor welfare as limited flying space and the vertical altitude of the cage unless more efforts are taken such as carefully designed enclosures to meet better animal welfare.