Conhecimento sobre bem estar animal pela comunidade acadêmica e acompanhantes de cães e gatos no Hospital Veterinário do Departamento de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco

Abstract

Currently, professions that deal with animals are passing through a center transformation to achieve appreciation of well-being and thus it is essential that Veterinarians and Zootecnist learn during their graduation years the conceptual foundations on animal welfare and its main applications. The objective of this research was to study the profile of dogs and cats companion in the Veterinary Hospital of the Department of Veterinary Medicine in the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, investigating their knowledge of animal welfare, as well as teachers, researchers and veterinary medicine students developing research and practical sessions with live animals in that institution. A descriptive study of qualitative and quantitative nature was performed in which the companions, answered a semi-structured questionnaire, divided into two sections with 32 questions, whereas the teachers, researchers and students questionnaire was divided into three sections and had a total of 26 questions. When the companions data was analyzed together and considering the highest percentage in each category, it was found that: the tutor is who takes the animal to the Veterinary Hospital,which are especially females, aged 26 to 51 years old, married, living in home in Recife and with high school education, most of the animals are dogs, aged between 19 and 95 months old, male and mixed breed. Tutors take them to veterinarians at least once a year, vaccinate, vermicide, feed and change the water once a day, provide space for animals to exercise, clean the environment and consider important that they express their feelings. Considering animal welfare, the tutors know the meaning of the term and the purpose of a pet, that they feel pain, but ignore mutilating surgery. In the academic community, everyone knows about animal welfare, the universal declaration of animal rights and alternative methods and what is a sentient being, but unknown: the theory of 3Rs (researchers); the five freedoms and the right to excuse (teachers), and the ethics committee on animal use, the five freedoms, the theory of 3Rs and the right to excuse (students). It is concluded that the conceptual knowledge on animal welfare of tutors is precarious, but that the health management practices adopted bythem reflect a satisfactory agreement with the recommendation on animal welfare, and thatthe academic community needs more information about the theme so they can develop educational activities and/or research in the improvement of maintenance and handling of animals.