Bem estar animal e ética no ensino e na pesquisa : visão dos discentes dos cursos das ciências agrárias e biológicas da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco

Abstract

With the development of new technologies and the growing ecological concerns, questions of an ethical nature have an increasingly important role in scientific research. Based on that, the present study proposed to investigate the perceptions that students of four courses (Bachelor in Biological Sciences, Fisheries Engineering, Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny) of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco have about welfare and animal ethics. Using a questionnaire developed and adapted from other studies, a sample of 293 college students from Recife, Garanhuns and Serra Talhada campus, were invited to participate in the study, where only students of the first and last period of each course were selected. It was observed that although most students find important lessons with animals, that they have little knowledge of alternative methods and on various approaches of the themes. It was concluded to be necessary the introduction of concepts on ethics and welfare of animals in these courses, thus providing the necessary knowledge for the use of animals in teaching and research, enabling also the increase in existence of alternative methods.