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Animals
Special Issues
Animal Use in Competitive Sport: Ethics and Welfare
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Animal Use in Competitive Sport: Ethics and Welfare

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Ethics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 30931

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Madeleine Campbell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Herts AL9 7TA, UK
Interests: ethics; human use of animals; use of animals in sport; ethics surrounding assisted reproductive technologies; ethics of genetic editing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, societal views about the human use of animals have shifted considerably, and consequently the “social license” to use animals in competitive sport has come under scrutiny. At the same time, those working as veterinary clinicians have become increasingly aware of the potential challenges to professional ethics and to animal welfare thrown up by involvement in animal sport. This Special Issue of Animals provides those of us interested in this area with a unique opportunity to contribute to a collated publication. The Special Issue is intended to reflect current thinking about ethical issues and the current evidence base about welfare issues relating to the use of animals in sport, and to identify necessary areas for future research. 

This Special Issue invites original research papers and review papers relating to these issues. The scope includes all species used in competitive sport, throughout their lives. Topics can include ethical or ethico-legal analyses, original research papers relating to particular ethical or welfare issues, and papers which aim to identify ethical or welfare problems from the perspective of the practitioner. Review papers are also welcomed, provided that they give a new perspective of the research topic and use up-to-date literature.

Dr. Madeleine Campbell
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ethics of animals in sport
  • ethics of animal use
  • welfare of animals in sport
  • animal ethics
  • ethics of veterinary sports medicine

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 708 KiB  
Article
How Happy Are Equine Athletes? Stakeholder Perceptions of Equine Welfare Issues Associated with Equestrian Sport
by Tamzin Furtado, Liane Preshaw, Jo Hockenhull, Jennifer Wathan, Janet Douglas, Sue Horseman, Rebecca Smith, Danica Pollard, Gina Pinchbeck, Jan Rogers and Carol Hall
Animals 2021, 11(11), 3228; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113228 - 12 Nov 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8661
Abstract
The international governing body for equestrian sports, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), states that the welfare of the horse must be paramount and never subordinated to competitive or commercial influences. However, there is growing unease about welfare issues from both within and outside [...] Read more.
The international governing body for equestrian sports, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), states that the welfare of the horse must be paramount and never subordinated to competitive or commercial influences. However, there is growing unease about welfare issues from both within and outside the sport. The aim of this study was to understand stakeholder perceptions of current welfare issues within equestrian sport, determine whether there is scope for change, and explore attitudes towards welfare assessment. Participants (n = 48) from equestrian sport (n = 38) and animal welfare research (n = 10) attended a workshop that included welfare-related presentations and focus group sessions. The focus group sessions were recorded, anonymised and analysed using thematic analysis. Conflict between the demands of competition and the needs of the horse was identified as a key welfare challenge. Although the physical health of equine athletes is closely monitored, horses’ psychological needs are sometimes overlooked. Participants recognised that improving competition practices may not be as impactful as improving the general management and training of horses. The term “quality of life” was considered preferable to “welfare”, which had negative connotations. Participants appreciated the idea of incorporating formal welfare assessments into their training and competition plans but stated that existing tools are rarely used and are not deemed feasible for real-life conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Use in Competitive Sport: Ethics and Welfare)
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22 pages, 1049 KiB  
Article
An Ethical Framework for the Use of Horses in Competitive Sport: Theory and Function
by Madeleine L. H. Campbell
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1725; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061725 - 9 Jun 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 10742
Abstract
Growing ethical concern about equestrian sport is reflected in publications by regulatory authorities, animal charities, and the lay press; and in government debate and social media. However, attempts by regulators and stakeholders to address ethical issues in equine sport have been discipline specific [...] Read more.
Growing ethical concern about equestrian sport is reflected in publications by regulatory authorities, animal charities, and the lay press; and in government debate and social media. However, attempts by regulators and stakeholders to address ethical issues in equine sport have been discipline specific and ad hoc. Ethical frameworks can help stakeholders to make contextual decisions about what should or should not be done in a particular situation. However, when existing animal welfare frameworks and existing sports ethics frameworks are reviewed in this paper, it becomes clear that none provide us with a suitable or sufficient tool for considering ethical issues which can arise in situations where the athlete is a non-human, non-consenting participant. This paper presents the theoretical development of a novel ethical framework, with the aim of providing stakeholders with a tool which they might apply to the consideration of the ethical questions which inevitably arise in relation to (equestrian) sport. The derivation and limitations of the ethical framework are explained. The use of the framework will serve both to underwrite the continuation of the social license to use horses in sport and also to enable those within equestrian sport to critically assess existing and proposed practices and to make welfare-improving adjustments to practice if/where necessary. The theoretical framework as presented here is currently being practically tested and refined in consultation with industry stakeholders, and that research will be submitted for publication in due course. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Use in Competitive Sport: Ethics and Welfare)
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Review

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36 pages, 514 KiB  
Review
Champing at the Bit for Improvements: A Review of Equine Welfare in Equestrian Sports in the United Kingdom
by Tim Q. Holmes and Ashleigh F. Brown
Animals 2022, 12(9), 1186; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091186 - 5 May 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 8686
Abstract
Equestrian sports, including racing (e.g., flat, steeple-chasing, harness or donkey derby); show-jumping; cross-country; dressage; polo; polocrosse; endurance; carriage driving; vaulting and hunting; are hugely popular in the UK, and they involve a significant number of people, both as participants and spectators, and tens [...] Read more.
Equestrian sports, including racing (e.g., flat, steeple-chasing, harness or donkey derby); show-jumping; cross-country; dressage; polo; polocrosse; endurance; carriage driving; vaulting and hunting; are hugely popular in the UK, and they involve a significant number of people, both as participants and spectators, and tens of thousands of equids. In this paper, we discuss animal welfare as a complex and disputed issue, clarifying what the term means and how it can be measured. We review many aspects of welfare risk to equids used for sport, addressing issues encountered throughout their lives, including housing, feeding, veterinary intervention, shoeing, handling, training, breeding and equipment. This is followed by a unique exploration of the institutions and social processes influencing equine welfare. The institutional components comprise the rules of competition, the equids, attributes of the stakeholders and the space where participants strive to achieve a common purpose. We endeavour to untangle the most significant elements that create barriers or provide opportunities for equine welfare improvement. We expose the challenges faced by a broad range of stakeholders with differing ethics, attitudes and values. Evidently, there are many welfare risks to which equids used in sports continue to be exposed. It is also evident that significant improvements have occurred in recent times, but there remains a barrier to reducing the risks to an acceptable level. We conclude with recommendations regarding a process for change, involvement of stakeholders and management of knowledge to improve equine welfare that involves identifying and prioritising the risk factors and ultimately leading to interventions, further research and/or education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Use in Competitive Sport: Ethics and Welfare)
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