Chapter 6: Humane Treatment of Chickens
Identify ethical problems: Is inhumane treatment of animals an ethical issue? This ethical dilemma was open-ended (i.e., has no single correct solution) because different belief systems will impact the analysis. For people that are of the belief that human beings are living in a Darwinian world of natural selection, using animals for the betterment of the human species is a natural evolution of the world. As such, whatever we do to animals, as long as it furthers the betterment of the human species is acceptable. This debate should focus on the concept of treatment. Is experimentation inhumane if it saves lives? If we have to treat animals in a way that is perceived as inhumane (i.e., killing them for food), is there a better approach that will rationalize our ethical questions? One of the main questions in this section is the definition of inhumane. Just because we can see something that lacks compassion, does that make it truly inhumane? Animal rights activists will clearly define rights for animals that are based on considering what is in the animal’s best interests, not the human beings. Most people will tend to migrate to empathizing with animals such as a beloved pet or a cute picture to link human emotion to what is considered humane. However, when faced with eating a hamburger, most people will not question where the food came from, only that it will satisfy a human need.
Objectively consider others: Most organizations realize that treating animals poorly can have a negative impact on revenues and public perception of its brand. Some organizations base their entire philosophy on informing the consumer about how the animals are treated by the use of animal welfare labeling. Organizations can realize that getting the consumer motivated to choose more humane practices is the best approach to changing how animals are treated. If people boycott an organization because of its practices or policies, then the organization will likely look at its practices and policies. Animal welfare in Canada is currently a shared responsibility between government and industry. There is federal legislation that enforces standards with respect to transportation, handling and treatment of animals. Within this framework, there are working groups that are engaged in determining the issues for legislation and consist of diverse organizations that represent people, industry and animals. Forcing regulation is something that would require diligent thought and understanding of how it will ultimately impact the greater social need of our use of animals as a source of sustenance. There are also shared responsibilities when it comes to research and applied endeavours that include the use of animals. Normally ethical guidelines are developed through ethics committees and professional organizations.
Clarify and apply ethical values: Depending on the nature of the discussion, various viewpoints will arise based on the belief structure of the individual. Animal rights activists will have ethical values that will vary drastically from people that believe animals should be used for the betterment of human beings. Some of the following values should come into the discussion.
· Value: Organizations should take actions that maximize company profits. Are animals something that companies will use irrespective of the potential harm that is being caused to them? Do poultry facilities that create economies of scale environments create adverse risks of disease for the increased profits?
· Value: Organizations should take actions that are legal. Given the legislative requirements that are in place, businesses need to ensure that they practice within the framework set out by the governing bodies.
· Value: Organizations should take actions that maximize the social benefit and/or take actions that do no harm to others. If conditions that are poorly designed create a host of issues for the general population, such as disease and poor food quality, this should be factored into the discussions about conditions for animals.
Value: Organizations should take actions that are most fair to animals. Depending on the code of conduct and ethical beliefs of the organization, this discussion will take different paths. Some organizations will place different values on animals depending on the overall objectives that are desired.
Work toward ongoing improvement: The collective discussion between various stakeholders would be the fundamental objective to come to a long term resolution of how to handle animals in business. Some of the core beliefs among stakeholders will never be congruent and therefore consensus may never be truly achieved. Knowing that these differences may never be settled is important to identify and accept in order to try and build a rational discussion.