Human Influence on the Marshall Beagles
Freedom from Hunger and Thirst
The Marshall Beagles are not always provided with water and are fed on a set diet to ensure that any results from animal tests are not affected.
The beagles could be provided with clean, fresh water at all times and this should be monitored to ensure that they are drinking plenty. The dogs should also be fed a healthy nutritious diet at least once a day to ensure that they can make a full recovery from any injuries due to testing.
Freedom from Discomfort
The beagles are in very small cages in twos and threes. They are not provided with bedding to soak up urine and faeces and have nowhere comfortable to sleep.
This could be improved by giving dogs bigger enclosures to stay in. Also providing plenty of soft bedding for them to stay on to go to sleep and when they are resting. Also providing bedding such as shavings could help soak up urine making the enclosure more hygienic for the dogs to live in.
Freedom from Fear and Distress
The beagles are only allowed out of the cages for two reasons. To be tested on with products or for five minutes in a play room which contains just a slide whilst they are quickly cleaned out. The testing on the animals causes fear as it inflicts pain if the dog has an allergic reaction. The dogs also get stressed from being caged up all day every day. The handlers also make the dogs fearful as not all of them treat the dogs very nice and also the dogs relate them with pain due to the testing.
This could be improved by giving the dogs more free time outside the cages to allow them to release energy and act like dogs, which would reduce the stress levels. Also if they were to completely stop animal testing the dogs would be much more happier as they wouldn’t be put in pain all of the time but this is unrealistic. The handlers could also be much nicer to the dogs to make the dogs less fearful of them.
Freedom from Pain, Injury and Disease
Pain is put upon the dogs due to testing on the animals as if a product/substance is not suitable on them they may have an allergic reaction causing open wounds and infections. The dogs living conditions of being in tiny enclosures full of other dogs means that the spread of disease is highly likely in the living conditions.
This could be improved by having a vet onsite to treat the dogs after an allergic reaction rather than putting the dog back into the enclosure and leaving it to recover itself. Also by providing better living conditions such as larger enclosures and allowing the dogs to go outside may allow fresh air and ventilation reducing the spread of disease and infection.
Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour
The dogs are enclosed at all times apart from when being tested on and for 5 minutes whilst they are being cleaned out. They are not allowed outdoors whatsoever due to negative public protests on how they think animal testing is wrong. When they are getting cleaned out, one enclosure at a time is left in a small room which contains nothing but a children’s slide. In the small enclosures there is no enrichment provided to prevent the dogs from getting bored and therefore developing abnormal behaviours and becoming depressed.
This could be improved by allowing he dogs out for frequent play time where lots of enrichment is provided and where they can also interact with other dogs and the handlers positively. They could also be provided with enrichment whilst inside the enclosure to prevent them from becoming bored. The cages could be bigger to give them room to play inside. They could be walked outdoors to allow them to express normal behaviours of the dogs and get some fresh air.