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Prof. Dr. Andrew Knight
University of Winchester

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0 Climate Change
0 Animal Ethics
0 Animal Experiments
0 pet diets

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Animal Welfare
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Animal Ethics
pet diets

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Short Biography

Andrew Knight is Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, and Founding Director of the University of Winchester Centre for Animal Welfare, Adjunct Professor in the School of Environment and Science at Griffith University, Queensland, EBVS European and RCVS Veterinary Specialist in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law, American and New Zealand Veterinary Specialist in Animal Welfare, Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and Principal Fellow of Advance HE. He regularly works with animal welfare charities to advocate for animals and is frequently interviewed by the media. He has received 13 awards and 11 research grants for this work.

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Food
Published: 16 June 2021 in PLOS ONE
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Consumer suspicion of conventional pet foods, along with perceived health benefits of alternative diets, are fuelling development of the latter. These include raw meat diets, in vitro meat products, and diets based on novel protein sources such as terrestrial and marine plants, insects, yeast and fungi. However, some claim vegan diets may be less palatable, or may compromise animal welfare. We surveyed 4,060 dog or cat guardians to determine the importance to them of pet food palatability, and the degree to which their animals displayed specific behavioural indicators of palatability at meal times. Guardians were asked to choose one dog or cat that had been within their household for at least one year, and not on a prescription or therapeutic diet. Of 3,976 respondents who played some role in pet diet decision-making, palatability was the third most important among 12 factors cited as important when choosing pet diets. For 1,585 respondents feeding conventional or raw meat diets, who stated they would realistically consider alternative diets, palatability was the fourth most important among 14 desired attributes. For the 2,308 dogs included, reported observations of 10 behavioural indicators of palatability at meal times reliably indicated significant effects of increased reports of appetitive behaviour by dogs on a raw meat diet, as opposed to a conventional diet. There was no consistent evidence of a difference between vegan diets and either the conventional or raw meat diets. For the 1,135 cats included, reported observations of 15 behavioural indicators indicated that diet made little difference to food-oriented behaviour. Based on these owner-reported behaviours, our results indicate that vegan pet foods are generally at least as palatable to dogs and cats as conventional meat or raw meat diets, and do not compromise their welfare, when other welfare determinants, such as nutritional requirements, are adequately provided.

ACS Style

Andrew Knight; Liam Satchell. Vegan versus meat-based pet foods: Owner-reported palatability behaviours and implications for canine and feline welfare. PLOS ONE 2021, 16, e0253292 .

AMA Style

Andrew Knight, Liam Satchell. Vegan versus meat-based pet foods: Owner-reported palatability behaviours and implications for canine and feline welfare. PLOS ONE. 2021; 16 (6):e0253292.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew Knight; Liam Satchell. 2021. "Vegan versus meat-based pet foods: Owner-reported palatability behaviours and implications for canine and feline welfare." PLOS ONE 16, no. 6: e0253292.

Journal article
Published: 08 February 2021 in Animals
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Increased focus on the illegal global wildlife trade has resulted in greater numbers of live animals confiscated by authorities, increasing the need to manage these animals responsibly. Most wildlife seizures take place in Southeast Asia, with global demand for live animals fuelling much of the trafficking. Guidelines for the ‘disposal’ of live specimens are provided by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), although individual Parties must implement provisions through national laws and regulations. ‘Disposal’ is the term used for the management of illegally traded wildlife upon confiscation. Confiscated live animals can be euthanised (i.e., killed), repatriated to their native country and released, or kept in captivity. This study investigates barriers to proper care and disposal of confiscated live animals in Southeast Asia, where roughly one quarter of the global multibillion dollar illegal wildlife trade takes place. Interviews were conducted with 18 professionals working within conservation, wildlife crime, and confiscated live animal management. Eight limitations to the proper care and disposal of confiscated wildlife were identified: (1) political will, (2) policy, (3) funding, (4) capacity, (5) expertise (6) attitudes and behaviours, (7) exploitation, and (8) corruption. Based on interviews, we propose seven key reforms to support the efficient and humane management of illegally traded wildlife for national authorities and CITES parties. These are wildlife seizure management, legislative support, enhanced political will, demand reduction, global participation, registry of rescue centres, and terminology change. This research highlights major barriers to the proper care and disposal of live confiscated animals and proposes key reforms to improve the conservation of threatened species and the welfare of millions of illegally traded animals.

ACS Style

Shannon Rivera; Andrew Knight; Steven McCulloch. Surviving the Wildlife Trade in Southeast Asia: Reforming the ‘Disposal’ of Confiscated Live Animals under CITES. Animals 2021, 11, 439 .

AMA Style

Shannon Rivera, Andrew Knight, Steven McCulloch. Surviving the Wildlife Trade in Southeast Asia: Reforming the ‘Disposal’ of Confiscated Live Animals under CITES. Animals. 2021; 11 (2):439.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shannon Rivera; Andrew Knight; Steven McCulloch. 2021. "Surviving the Wildlife Trade in Southeast Asia: Reforming the ‘Disposal’ of Confiscated Live Animals under CITES." Animals 11, no. 2: 439.

Review
Published: 07 January 2021 in Animals
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Humane alternatives to harmful educational animal use include ethically-sourced cadavers, models, mannequins, mechanical simulators, videos, computer and virtual reality simulations, and supervised clinical and surgical experiences. In many life and health sciences courses, however, traditional animal use persists, often due to uncertainty about the educational efficacy of humane alternatives. The most recent comprehensive reviews assessing learning outcomes of humane teaching methods, in comparison to harmful animal use, were published more than 10 years ago. Therefore, we aimed to collate and analyse the combined evidence from recent and older studies about the efficacy of humane teaching methods. Using specific search terms, we systematically searched the Web of Science, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases for relevant educational studies. We extracted information on publication years, the country in which the study was conducted, field, humane teaching methods, form of learning outcome assessment, and the learning outcome of the humane teaching methods, in comparison with harmful animal use. We found 50 relevant studies published from 1968–2020, primarily stemming from the USA, UK, and Canada. Humane teaching methods produced learning outcomes superior (30%), equivalent (60%), or inferior (10%) to those produced by traditional harmful animal use. In conclusion, a wide-spread implementation of humane teaching methods would not only preserve learning outcomes, but may in fact be beneficial for animals, students, educators, and institutions.

ACS Style

Miriam Zemanova; Andrew Knight. The Educational Efficacy of Humane Teaching Methods: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Animals 2021, 11, 114 .

AMA Style

Miriam Zemanova, Andrew Knight. The Educational Efficacy of Humane Teaching Methods: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Animals. 2021; 11 (1):114.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Miriam Zemanova; Andrew Knight. 2021. "The Educational Efficacy of Humane Teaching Methods: A Systematic Review of the Evidence." Animals 11, no. 1: 114.

Letters and notices
Published: 26 January 2019 in Veterinary Record
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On 18 December Defra revealed that during 2018, 32,601 badgers were killed, bringing the total number slaughtered under licence since 2013 to almost 67,000.1 ‘Effectiveness’ claims relate not to the impact on cattle TB, but rather to the ability of the contracted shooters to kill sufficient badgers to satisfy their licence requirements, which they can hardly fail to reach given that target numbers are ‘adjusted’ by Natural England part-way through the culls according to the contractors’ progress. Sixty per cent of the badgers have been …

ACS Style

Mark Jones; Fiona Dalzell; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geoff Hale; Sophie Hill; Jo Hinde; Andrew Knight; Joanne Lewis; Andre Menache; Judy Puddifoot; Richard Saunders; Guda van der Burgt; Iain McGill; Elisa Allen; Dominic Dyer; Philip Mansbridge; Lorraine Platt; Toni Shephard. Tackling bovine TB. Veterinary Record 2019, 184, 129 -129.

AMA Style

Mark Jones, Fiona Dalzell, Richard Edwards, Phill Elliott, Geoff Hale, Sophie Hill, Jo Hinde, Andrew Knight, Joanne Lewis, Andre Menache, Judy Puddifoot, Richard Saunders, Guda van der Burgt, Iain McGill, Elisa Allen, Dominic Dyer, Philip Mansbridge, Lorraine Platt, Toni Shephard. Tackling bovine TB. Veterinary Record. 2019; 184 (4):129-129.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mark Jones; Fiona Dalzell; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geoff Hale; Sophie Hill; Jo Hinde; Andrew Knight; Joanne Lewis; Andre Menache; Judy Puddifoot; Richard Saunders; Guda van der Burgt; Iain McGill; Elisa Allen; Dominic Dyer; Philip Mansbridge; Lorraine Platt; Toni Shephard. 2019. "Tackling bovine TB." Veterinary Record 184, no. 4: 129-129.

Journal article
Published: 29 December 2018 in Animals
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Legislation and guidelines governing biomedical research with humans and non-human primates (NHPs) rely on different ethical frameworks. In this paper we argue that the main ethical framework used to assess and justify NHP experimentation is inadequate for its purpose. We propose a change of framework that we believe would benefit NHPs and improve research quality. Basic and applied laboratory research, whenever intrusive or invasive, presents substantial ethical challenges for ethical committees, be it with human beings or with non-human animals. In this paper we discuss the use of non-human primates (NHPs), mostly as animal models, in laboratory based research. We examine the two ethical frameworks that support current legislation and guidelines: deontology and utilitarianism. While human based research is regulated under deontological principles, guidelines for laboratory animal research rely on utilitarianism. We argue that the utilitarian framework is inadequate for this purpose: on the one hand, it is almost impossible to accurately predict the benefits of a study for all potential stakeholders; and on the other hand, harm inflicted on NHPs (and other animals) used in laboratory research is extensive despite the increasing efforts of ethics committees and the research community to address this. Although deontology and utilitarianism are both valid ethical frameworks, we advocate that a deontological approach is more suitable, since we arguably have moral duties to NHPs. We provide suggestions on how to ensure that research currently conducted in laboratory settings shifts towards approaches that abide by deontological principles. We assert that this would not impede reasonable scientific research.

ACS Style

Constança Carvalho; Augusta Gaspar; Andrew Knight; Luís Vicente. Ethical and Scientific Pitfalls Concerning Laboratory Research with Non-Human Primates, and Possible Solutions. Animals 2018, 9, 12 .

AMA Style

Constança Carvalho, Augusta Gaspar, Andrew Knight, Luís Vicente. Ethical and Scientific Pitfalls Concerning Laboratory Research with Non-Human Primates, and Possible Solutions. Animals. 2018; 9 (1):12.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Constança Carvalho; Augusta Gaspar; Andrew Knight; Luís Vicente. 2018. "Ethical and Scientific Pitfalls Concerning Laboratory Research with Non-Human Primates, and Possible Solutions." Animals 9, no. 1: 12.

Letters and notices
Published: 01 December 2018 in Veterinary Record
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WE note the BVA’s response to the Godfray review1 which states that: ‘BVA supports the principle of badger control where there is a demonstrated need and where it is done safely, humanely and effectively’, and emphasises ‘the importance of a rigorous evidence base for informing decisions’.2 However, the BVA’s continuing support for the government’s ongoing policy of culling badgers seems to be rather at odds with this statement. First, the government-appointed Independent Expert Panel’s concerns relating to the humaneness of controlled shooting,3 one of the two permitted methods by which badgers can be killed under licence, was sufficiently convincing for the BVA to withdraw support for this method as far back as 2015, because of animal welfare concerns. Yet the BVA continues to support the issuing of licences that allow this method, inferring a logical contradiction. The BVA’s statement that it ‘will continue to emphasise the importance of a rigorous evidence base for informing decisions’,2 contradicts its own acceptance of the Independent Expert Panel‘s findings on the humaneness of controlled shooting,3 which provided strong evidence that the method is inhumane.3 Second, the BVA goes on to claim that Godfray recognises ‘that badger control is necessary as part of a comprehensive strategy, particularly in high risk areas’.2 In fact, Godfray states that only ‘modest’ benefits can be expected from lethal control of badgers, and that it is a possible, though unpopular option.1 Nowhere in Godfray’s report does it state that badger culling is necessary – it merely suggests culling as an option, just not a very good one, then goes on to focus on cattle measures as the most likely …

ACS Style

Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Bronwen Eastwood; Fiona Dalzell; Phill Elliott; Bev Irving; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight. Tackling bovine TB. Veterinary Record 2018, 183, 658 -659.

AMA Style

Iain McGill, Andre Menache, Bronwen Eastwood, Fiona Dalzell, Phill Elliott, Bev Irving, Mark Jones, Andrew Knight. Tackling bovine TB. Veterinary Record. 2018; 183 (21):658-659.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Bronwen Eastwood; Fiona Dalzell; Phill Elliott; Bev Irving; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight. 2018. "Tackling bovine TB." Veterinary Record 183, no. 21: 658-659.

Letters and notices
Published: 10 November 2018 in Veterinary Record
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Further to our previous letter ( VR , 27 October 2018, vol 183, pp 510-511) in relation to the prevalence and incidence of bovine TB (bTB) in cattle in badger culling zones, we note that Defra has since made, in our opinion, insupportable claims that emerging data show its badger cull policy is working. On Radio 4’s Farming Today on 29 October,1 Defra provided a statement claiming that: ‘The findings published in September showed that initial [badger] culls in the Higher Risk Area (HRA) have had a positive impact on disease incidence.’ This same statement was subsequently published in Vet Record (3 November 2018, vol 183, p 528), attributed to a ‘Defra spokesperson’ …

ACS Style

Iain McGill; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones. Effectiveness of badger culls. Veterinary Record 2018, 183, 574 -574.

AMA Style

Iain McGill, Andrew Knight, Mark Jones. Effectiveness of badger culls. Veterinary Record. 2018; 183 (18):574-574.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Iain McGill; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones. 2018. "Effectiveness of badger culls." Veterinary Record 183, no. 18: 574-574.

Letters and notices
Published: 27 October 2018 in Veterinary Record
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We note Defra Minister George Eustice’s statement on 13 September1 referring to epidemiological data on bovine TB (bTB) in cattle in badger culling zones.2 He claims that: ‘Today’s figures showing reductions in TB cases in Somerset and Gloucestershire are evidence that our strategy for dealing with this slow-moving, insidious disease is delivering results.’1 Examination of that data in detail demonstrates no reduction in the prevalence of bTB-infected herds in Gloucestershire or Somerset as a result of culling.2 Prevalence is a measure of the percentage of cattle herds in badger culling zones which have bTB, taken at a specific point in time. It involves relatively simple calculations, giving hard data, and is important for considerations of control. Prevalence is a measure of the force driving infection between animals within a herd, between adjacent herds and between distant herds.3 The prevalence in cattle is no lower than it was before culling,2 despite the killing and removal of 1879 badgers in Gloucestershire and 1777 in Somerset. A total of 3656 badgers have been killed with no perceivable disease control benefits. When ministerial statements are used as justification for the slaughter of badgers on an industrial scale across swathes of England, it is vital that they are accurate and reflect the best available veterinary and scientific advice. The incidence is the calculated measure of new TB breakdowns in herds, and Defra claim that this has fallen after four years of badger culling.2 It is ‘calculated …

ACS Style

Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Richard Saunders; Bronwen Eastwood; Fiona Dalzell; Phill Elliott; Bev Irving; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones; Philip Mansbridge; Dominic Dyer; Toni Shephard; Gloria Davies; Elisa Allen; Adam Grogan. Effectiveness of badger culls. Veterinary Record 2018, 183, 510 -511.

AMA Style

Iain McGill, Andre Menache, Richard Saunders, Bronwen Eastwood, Fiona Dalzell, Phill Elliott, Bev Irving, Andrew Knight, Mark Jones, Philip Mansbridge, Dominic Dyer, Toni Shephard, Gloria Davies, Elisa Allen, Adam Grogan. Effectiveness of badger culls. Veterinary Record. 2018; 183 (16):510-511.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Richard Saunders; Bronwen Eastwood; Fiona Dalzell; Phill Elliott; Bev Irving; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones; Philip Mansbridge; Dominic Dyer; Toni Shephard; Gloria Davies; Elisa Allen; Adam Grogan. 2018. "Effectiveness of badger culls." Veterinary Record 183, no. 16: 510-511.

Letters and notices
Published: 20 October 2018 in Veterinary Record
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We are writing to express our extreme concern following recent media coverage1, 2 relating to the methodology being used by contractors to kill badgers under licence, as part of the government’s policy to control bovine TB in cattle. The coverage relates to the shooting of badgers that have been captured in live traps. Covert video footage (https://bit.ly/2Eud1iR ) from Cumbria shows a trapped badger being shot with a firearm at close range, following which it appears to take close to a minute to stop moving. The contractor clearly observes the animal during this time but makes no attempt to expedite the death of the badger and prevent further suffering, as required by the current Natural England best practice guide which states: ‘Immediately after shooting, the animal should be checked to ensure it is dead, and if there is any doubt, a …

ACS Style

Mark Jones; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geraldine Hale; Sophie Hill; Jo Hinde; Hannah Hughes; Andrew Knight; Joanne Lewis; Alastair MacMillan; Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Richard Saunders; Alick Simmons; Peter Southgate; Kathy Tipping; Julie Turner; Guda van der Burgt. Animal welfare impacts of badger culling operations. Veterinary Record 2018, 183, 476 -477.

AMA Style

Mark Jones, Fiona Dalzell, Bronwen Eastwood, Richard Edwards, Phill Elliott, Geraldine Hale, Sophie Hill, Jo Hinde, Hannah Hughes, Andrew Knight, Joanne Lewis, Alastair MacMillan, Iain McGill, Andre Menache, Richard Saunders, Alick Simmons, Peter Southgate, Kathy Tipping, Julie Turner, Guda van der Burgt. Animal welfare impacts of badger culling operations. Veterinary Record. 2018; 183 (15):476-477.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mark Jones; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geraldine Hale; Sophie Hill; Jo Hinde; Hannah Hughes; Andrew Knight; Joanne Lewis; Alastair MacMillan; Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Richard Saunders; Alick Simmons; Peter Southgate; Kathy Tipping; Julie Turner; Guda van der Burgt. 2018. "Animal welfare impacts of badger culling operations." Veterinary Record 183, no. 15: 476-477.

Letters and notices
Published: 29 September 2018 in Veterinary Record
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We thank Phipps and others for their response ( VR , 22 September 2018, vol 183, p 356) to our letter. We would argue that the original paper1 does imply that the human case of latent tuberculosis (TB) may have come from hounds, stating that: ‘One kennel worker was also diagnosed with latent TB, potentially due to exposure to infected hounds and/or their contaminated feed, though this remains unproven.’ We welcome the previously unpublished data and retract our original statement, to replace it with: ‘One member of staff was diagnosed with a latent infection from an as yet uncharacterised species of Mycobacterium . Further detail is needed, but the potential risk of dog-to-human transmission of bovine TB remains “plausible and real”.’1 While we appreciate that Phipps and colleagues wish to protect personal privacy, it seems odd for Public Health England to discourage identification of the hunt at this late stage, as this information was publicly confirmed by Defra more than a year ago. The authors cite a 2006 paper by Ellis and colleagues which describes in detail a case of bovine TB in a pet dog.2 Although Phipps and colleagues claim that …

ACS Style

Iain McGill; Richard Saunders; Bronwen Eastwood; Andre Menache; Fiona Dalzell; Sophie Hill; Bev Irving; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones. Mycobacterium bovis tuberculosis in hunting hounds. Veterinary Record 2018, 183, 387 -388.

AMA Style

Iain McGill, Richard Saunders, Bronwen Eastwood, Andre Menache, Fiona Dalzell, Sophie Hill, Bev Irving, Andrew Knight, Mark Jones. Mycobacterium bovis tuberculosis in hunting hounds. Veterinary Record. 2018; 183 (12):387-388.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Iain McGill; Richard Saunders; Bronwen Eastwood; Andre Menache; Fiona Dalzell; Sophie Hill; Bev Irving; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones. 2018. "Mycobacterium bovis tuberculosis in hunting hounds." Veterinary Record 183, no. 12: 387-388.

Letters and notices
Published: 15 September 2018 in Veterinary Record
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Just before the last General Election, a group of us signed a letter ( VR , June 3, 2017, vol 180, p 546-547) summarising our opposition to fox hunting, an activity that the prime minister openly supported. One of the points we raised concerned the potential spread of bovine TB (bTB) by the Kimblewick Hunt’s pack of hounds, which had become infected in 2016. The formal report of this outbreak of bTB in hounds has recently been published by Edinburgh University in association with APHA/Defra.1 Kimblewick’s approximately 180 hounds operate over six counties of England in the edge and low-risk area for bTB in cattle. In the report, the authors eloquently explain how molecular pathological techniques, including serology and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), have been developed for use in diagnosing bTB infection in dogs. Of the 164 hounds that were tested, 97 had evidence of bTB infection. The authors state: ‘… it was assumed that any hound with a significant interferon-gamma response to at least one test antigen was infected and potentially infectious. Any such hound would therefore pose a risk to human and animal health, as well as to the environment and should be removed from the pack and euthanased.’ > The most likely route of bTB infection in hounds was the feeding of bTB-infected meat Consequently, these infected dogs were culled. The authors propose the most likely routes of infection for these hounds. Two broad conclusions are that: 1. The most likely route of bTB infection for hounds was feeding them bTB-infected meat. …

ACS Style

Bronwen Eastwood; Andre Menache; Fiona Dalzell; Judy Puddifoot; Phill Elliott; Sue Pell; Sophie Hill; Richard Saunders; Trudy Langdale; Nicole St.Pierre; Marie O'Connor; Philippa Newby; Shakira Free Miles; Jo Hinde; Claire Shepherd; Kathy Tipping; Stephen Blakeway; Bev Irving; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones; Iain McGill. Spreading of bovine TB by hunting hounds. Veterinary Record 2018, 183, 327 -328.

AMA Style

Bronwen Eastwood, Andre Menache, Fiona Dalzell, Judy Puddifoot, Phill Elliott, Sue Pell, Sophie Hill, Richard Saunders, Trudy Langdale, Nicole St.Pierre, Marie O'Connor, Philippa Newby, Shakira Free Miles, Jo Hinde, Claire Shepherd, Kathy Tipping, Stephen Blakeway, Bev Irving, Andrew Knight, Mark Jones, Iain McGill. Spreading of bovine TB by hunting hounds. Veterinary Record. 2018; 183 (10):327-328.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bronwen Eastwood; Andre Menache; Fiona Dalzell; Judy Puddifoot; Phill Elliott; Sue Pell; Sophie Hill; Richard Saunders; Trudy Langdale; Nicole St.Pierre; Marie O'Connor; Philippa Newby; Shakira Free Miles; Jo Hinde; Claire Shepherd; Kathy Tipping; Stephen Blakeway; Bev Irving; Andrew Knight; Mark Jones; Iain McGill. 2018. "Spreading of bovine TB by hunting hounds." Veterinary Record 183, no. 10: 327-328.

Journal article
Published: 10 April 2017 in Animals
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The identity of Jack the Ripper remains one of the greatest unsolved crime mysteries in history. Jack was notorious both for the brutality of his murders and also for his habit of stealing organs from his victims. His speed and skill in doing so, in conditions of poor light and haste, fueled theories he was a surgeon. However, re-examination of a mortuary sketch from one of his victims has revealed several key aspects that strongly suggest he had no professional surgical training. Instead, the technique used was more consistent with that of a slaughterhouse worker. There were many small-scale slaughterhouses in East London in the 1880s, within which conditions were harsh for animals and workers alike. The brutalizing effects of such work only add to concerns highlighted by modern research that those who commit violence on animals are more likely to target people. Modern slaughterhouses are more humane in some ways but more desensitizing in others, and sociological research has indicated that communities with slaughterhouses are more likely to experience the most violent of crimes. The implications for modern animal slaughtering, and our social reliance on slaughterhouses, are explored. Hundreds of theories exist concerning the identity of “Jack the Ripper”. His propensity for anatomical dissection with a knife—and in particular the rapid location and removal of specific organs—led some to speculate that he must have been surgically trained. However, re-examination of a mortuary sketch of one of his victims has revealed several aspects of incisional technique highly inconsistent with professional surgical training. Related discrepancies are also apparent in the language used within the only letter from Jack considered to be probably authentic. The techniques he used to dispatch his victims and retrieve their organs were, however, highly consistent with techniques used within the slaughterhouses of the day. East London in the 1880s had a large number of small-scale slaughterhouses, within which conditions for both animals and workers were exceedingly harsh. Modern sociological research has highlighted the clear links between the infliction of violence on animals and that inflicted on humans, as well as increased risks of violent crimes in communities surrounding slaughterhouses. Conditions within modern slaughterhouses are more humane in some ways but more desensitising in others. The implications for modern animal slaughtering, and our social reliance on slaughterhouses, are explored.

ACS Style

Andrew Knight; Katherine D. Watson. Was Jack the Ripper a Slaughterman? Human-Animal Violence and the World’s Most Infamous Serial Killer. Animals 2017, 7, 30 .

AMA Style

Andrew Knight, Katherine D. Watson. Was Jack the Ripper a Slaughterman? Human-Animal Violence and the World’s Most Infamous Serial Killer. Animals. 2017; 7 (4):30.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew Knight; Katherine D. Watson. 2017. "Was Jack the Ripper a Slaughterman? Human-Animal Violence and the World’s Most Infamous Serial Killer." Animals 7, no. 4: 30.

Review
Published: 21 September 2016 in Animals
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Many owners of companion animals are interested in vegetarian diets for their animals, as concerns increase about the consequences of animal farming, for health, animal welfare, and the environment. However, are vegetarian diets for cats and dogs nutritionally balanced and healthy? This article comprehensively reviews the evidence published to date from four studies that have examined the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diets for cats and dogs. To obtain additional information, we surveyed 12 pet food companies detailed in the most recent study. We also examined the nutritional soundness of meat-based companion-animal diets, and reviewed the evidence concerning the health status of vegetarian, carnivorous and omnivorous companion animals. Both cats and dogs may thrive on vegetarian diets, but these must be nutritionally complete and reasonably balanced. Owners should also regularly monitor urinary acidity, and should correct urinary alkalinisation through appropriate dietary additives, if necessary. Companion animal owners are increasingly concerned about the links between degenerative health conditions, farm animal welfare problems, environmental degradation, fertilizers and herbicides, climate change, and causative factors; such as animal farming and the consumption of animal products. Accordingly, many owners are increasingly interested in vegetarian diets for themselves and their companion animals. However, are vegetarian canine and feline diets nutritious and safe? Four studies assessing the nutritional soundness of these diets were reviewed, and manufacturer responses to the most recent studies are provided. Additional reviewed studies examined the nutritional soundness of commercial meat-based diets and the health status of cats and dogs maintained on vegetarian and meat-based diets. Problems with all of these dietary choices have been documented, including nutritional inadequacies and health problems. However, a significant and growing body of population studies and case reports have indicated that cats and dogs maintained on vegetarian diets may be healthy—including those exercising at the highest levels—and, indeed, may experience a range of health benefits. Such diets must be nutritionally complete and reasonably balanced, however, and owners should regularly monitor urinary acidity and should correct urinary alkalinisation through appropriate dietary additives, if necessary.

ACS Style

Andrew Knight; Madelaine Leitsberger. Vegetarian versus Meat-Based Diets for Companion Animals. Animals 2016, 6, 57 .

AMA Style

Andrew Knight, Madelaine Leitsberger. Vegetarian versus Meat-Based Diets for Companion Animals. Animals. 2016; 6 (9):57.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew Knight; Madelaine Leitsberger. 2016. "Vegetarian versus Meat-Based Diets for Companion Animals." Animals 6, no. 9: 57.

Opinion
Published: 18 August 2016 in Animals
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Orca behaviors interacting with humans within apparent friendship bonds are reviewed, and some impediments to the human evaluation of delphinid intelligence are discussed. The subsequent involvement of these orcas and their offspring in aggressive incidents with humans is also documented and examined. This is particularly relevant given that the highest recorded rates of aggressive incidents have occurred among orcas who had previously established unstructured human friendship bonds prior to their inclusion within oceanaria performances. It is concluded that the confinement of orcas within aquaria, and their use in entertainment programs, is morally indefensible, given their high intelligence, complex behaviors, and the apparent adverse effects on orcas of such confinement and use. Based on neuroanatomical indices such as brain size and encephalization quotient, orcas are among the most intelligent animals on Earth. They display a range of complex behaviors indicative of social intelligence, but these are difficult to study in the open ocean where protective laws may apply, or in captivity, where access is constrained for commercial and safety reasons. From 1979 to 1980, however, we were able to interact with juvenile orcas in an unstructured way at San Diego’s SeaWorld facility. We observed in the animals what appeared to be pranks, tests of trust, limited use of tactical deception, emotional self-control, and empathetic behaviors. Our observations were consistent with those of a former Seaworld trainer, and provide important insights into orca cognition, communication, and social intelligence. However, after being trained as performers within Seaworld’s commercial entertainment program, a number of orcas began to exhibit aggressive behaviors. The orcas who previously established apparent friendships with humans were most affected, although significant aggression also occurred in some of their descendants, and among the orcas they lived with. Such oceanaria confinement and commercial use can no longer be considered ethically defensible, given the current understanding of orcas’ advanced cognitive, social, and communicative capacities, and of their behavioral needs.

ACS Style

Robert Anderson; Robyn Waayers; Andrew Knight. Orca Behavior and Subsequent Aggression Associated with Oceanarium Confinement. Animals 2016, 6, 49 .

AMA Style

Robert Anderson, Robyn Waayers, Andrew Knight. Orca Behavior and Subsequent Aggression Associated with Oceanarium Confinement. Animals. 2016; 6 (8):49.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Robert Anderson; Robyn Waayers; Andrew Knight. 2016. "Orca Behavior and Subsequent Aggression Associated with Oceanarium Confinement." Animals 6, no. 8: 49.

Letters
Published: 07 March 2015 in Veterinary Record
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Within a couple of days of the letter's publication, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Liz Truss, announced at the National Farmers' Union's (NFU) annual conference that, if re-elected, the Conservative Party would roll out badger culling more widely. NFU president, Meurig Raymond, made reference to the data in his response to the …

ACS Style

Caroline Allen; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geoffrey Hale; Geraldine Hale; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight; Jo Lewis; Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Peter Southgate; Paul Torgerson. Bovine TB in the pilot badger cull zone in Gloucestershire. Veterinary Record 2015, 176, 258 -260.

AMA Style

Caroline Allen, Fiona Dalzell, Bronwen Eastwood, Richard Edwards, Phill Elliott, Geoffrey Hale, Geraldine Hale, Mark Jones, Andrew Knight, Jo Lewis, Iain McGill, Andre Menache, Peter Southgate, Paul Torgerson. Bovine TB in the pilot badger cull zone in Gloucestershire. Veterinary Record. 2015; 176 (10):258-260.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Caroline Allen; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geoffrey Hale; Geraldine Hale; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight; Jo Lewis; Iain McGill; Andre Menache; Peter Southgate; Paul Torgerson. 2015. "Bovine TB in the pilot badger cull zone in Gloucestershire." Veterinary Record 176, no. 10: 258-260.

Journal article
Published: 08 November 2014 in Veterinary Record
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Safeguarding animal welfare is an important aspect of the day-to-day work of almost all veterinarians; however, only some choose to pursue specific postgraduate qualifications in this area. Andrew Knight describes some of the routes to specialisation that are available around the world, highlighting in particular how suitably experienced individuals can currently seek accreditation in Europe and the USA without undertaking a formal programme of study.

ACS Style

Andrew Knight. Pathways to specialising in animal welfare. Veterinary Record 2014, 175, 449 -451.

AMA Style

Andrew Knight. Pathways to specialising in animal welfare. Veterinary Record. 2014; 175 (18):449-451.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew Knight. 2014. "Pathways to specialising in animal welfare." Veterinary Record 175, no. 18: 449-451.

Letters
Published: 28 June 2014 in Veterinary Record
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First, the efficacy of indiscriminate badger culling (or more correctly ‘killing’, since the term ‘culling’ implies a selective process) as a means of controlling bovine TB is not supported by the available scientific literature (eg, Donnelly and others 2006). As John Bourne stated in his introduction to the Independent Scientific Group's report following the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT), ‘It is unfortunate that agricultural and veterinary leaders continue to believe, in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, that the main approach to cattle TB control must involve some form of badger population control’ (Independent Scientific Group 2007). Indeed there is good evidence that badger social stability mitigates, and social perturbation (caused by killing) increases, the spread of infection in badgers (Weber and others 2013), and scientific analysis confirms that, because of the perturbing impact culling has on surviving badger behaviour, badger culling can result in increased prevalence of infection among remaining …

ACS Style

Marc Abraham; Caroline Allen; Heather Bacon; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Bruce Fogle; Geoffrey Hale; Geraldine Hale; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight; Jo Lewis; Iain McGill; Alastair MacMillan; Andre Menache; Richard Saunders; Peter Southgate; Paul Torgerson. Bovine TB and badger control. Veterinary Record 2014, 174, 664 -666.

AMA Style

Marc Abraham, Caroline Allen, Heather Bacon, Fiona Dalzell, Bronwen Eastwood, Richard Edwards, Phill Elliott, Bruce Fogle, Geoffrey Hale, Geraldine Hale, Mark Jones, Andrew Knight, Jo Lewis, Iain McGill, Alastair MacMillan, Andre Menache, Richard Saunders, Peter Southgate, Paul Torgerson. Bovine TB and badger control. Veterinary Record. 2014; 174 (26):664-666.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marc Abraham; Caroline Allen; Heather Bacon; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Bruce Fogle; Geoffrey Hale; Geraldine Hale; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight; Jo Lewis; Iain McGill; Alastair MacMillan; Andre Menache; Richard Saunders; Peter Southgate; Paul Torgerson. 2014. "Bovine TB and badger control." Veterinary Record 174, no. 26: 664-666.

Letters
Published: 12 April 2014 in Veterinary Record
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While we would not wish to understate the impact that infection might have on affected individuals, or to deny that any human health …

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Marc Abraham; Caroline Allen; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geraldine Hale; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight; Joanne Lewis; Iain McGill; Alastair MacMillan. Mycobacterium bovis infection in cats and people. Veterinary Record 2014, 174, 384 -385.

AMA Style

Marc Abraham, Caroline Allen, Fiona Dalzell, Bronwen Eastwood, Richard Edwards, Phill Elliott, Geraldine Hale, Mark Jones, Andrew Knight, Joanne Lewis, Iain McGill, Alastair MacMillan. Mycobacterium bovis infection in cats and people. Veterinary Record. 2014; 174 (15):384-385.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marc Abraham; Caroline Allen; Fiona Dalzell; Bronwen Eastwood; Richard Edwards; Phill Elliott; Geraldine Hale; Mark Jones; Andrew Knight; Joanne Lewis; Iain McGill; Alastair MacMillan. 2014. "Mycobacterium bovis infection in cats and people." Veterinary Record 174, no. 15: 384-385.

Review
Published: 21 January 2014 in Animals
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Laboratory classes in which animals are seriously harmed or killed, or which use cadavers or body parts from ethically debatable sources, are controversial within veterinary and other biomedical curricula. Along with the development of more humane teaching methods, this has increasingly led to objections to participation in harmful animal use. Such cases raise a host of issues of importance to universities, including those pertaining to curricular design and course accreditation, and compliance with applicable animal welfare and antidiscrimination legislation. Accordingly, after detailed investigation, some universities have implemented formal policies to guide faculty responses to such cases, and to ensure that decisions are consistent and defensible from legal and other policy perspectives. However, many other institutions have not yet done so, instead dealing with such cases on an ad hoc basis as they arise. Among other undesirable outcomes this can lead to insufficient student and faculty preparation, suboptimal and inconsistent responses, and greater likelihood of legal challenge. Accordingly, this paper provides pertinent information about the evolution of conscientious objection policies within Australian veterinary schools, and about the jurisprudential bases for conscientious objection within Australia and the USA. It concludes with recommendations for the development and implementation of policy within this arena.

ACS Style

Andrew Knight. Conscientious Objection to Harmful Animal Use within Veterinary and Other Biomedical Education. Animals 2014, 4, 16 -34.

AMA Style

Andrew Knight. Conscientious Objection to Harmful Animal Use within Veterinary and Other Biomedical Education. Animals. 2014; 4 (1):16-34.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew Knight. 2014. "Conscientious Objection to Harmful Animal Use within Veterinary and Other Biomedical Education." Animals 4, no. 1: 16-34.

Journal article
Published: 17 January 2014 in In Practice
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Andrew Knight. Dealing with dark desires. In Practice 2014, 36, 54 -55.

AMA Style

Andrew Knight. Dealing with dark desires. In Practice. 2014; 36 (1):54-55.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew Knight. 2014. "Dealing with dark desires." In Practice 36, no. 1: 54-55.