SECTION 2: TREATMENT OF ANIMALS AND RELATED ISSUES
Now we would like to learn a little about your thoughts on the treatment of animals and some other related issues. First, please answer a few questions regarding your personal experiences.
2.1 Have you witnessed anyone intentionally inflicting pain or suffering on an animal over the last five years?
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Ä Yesà Did you report this incident to the police, an animal welfare agency, or other authorities?
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Ä Noà Why not? _________________________________
2.2 Do you have a household pet?
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Ä Yesà What type of pet? ____________________________________
2.3 Now, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.
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Neither Agree nor Disagree |
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Strongly Disagree |
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Police should not waste their time responding to calls about animal cruelty or animal abuse. |
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The courts should take cases of animal cruelty as seriously as they do cases of violence against humans. |
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Because pets are an individuals' property, the law should not intervene on owners' actions and treatment of their pets. |
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The abuse of animals is not a social problem because humans are not the victims. |
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Humans need animals to survive (for food, clothing, etc.), therefore killing animals for these purposes is not wrong. |
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Humans are a "higher order" species, therefore it is our right to use animals to satisfy our needs and desires. |
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Intentional and malicious torture or killing of an animal should be a felony. |
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Willful neglect (failing to provide adequate food, water, shelter, etc.) of an animal should be a felony. |
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An animal's right to live free of suffering should be just as important as a person's right to live free of suffering. |
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2.4 When you think about each of the following actions, what (if any) punishment do you think should be given to people who do the following?
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No Punishment |
Fine |
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Jail (up to one year) |
Prison (More than one year) |
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Intentionally running over a cat or dog with a car. |
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Killing an endangered species for sport. |
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Failing to provide adequate food and water for a pet. |
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Working a farm animal to the point of exhaustion. |
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Working a farm animal until they can no longer stand up. |
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Hitting a pet with a stick or other similar object. |
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Kicking a pet. |
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Slapping a pet. |
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Hitting a pet with a closed fist. |
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Locking a pet in a cage for more than 10 hours without food or water. |
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Tying a pet up outside without food and water. |
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Intentionally causing one animal to fight with another |
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Intentionally harming or killing another person's pet. |
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Intentionally harming or killing another person's livestock. |
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Engaging in sexual activity with an animal. |
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2.5For the following items please indicate (by circling the associated number), on a scale from 1 to 10, the degree to which you feel the described activity is acceptable (10 indicates completely acceptable; 1 indicates completely unacceptable).
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Completely Unacceptable |
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Completely Acceptable |
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Painful experiments on animals that produce information about human health problems. |
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Painless experiments on animals that produce information about human health problems. |
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Painful experiments on animals that produce information about commercial products. |
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Painless experimentation on animals that produces information about commercial products. |
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2.5 (Continued) For the following items please indicate (by circling the associated number), on a scale from 1 to 10, the degree to which you feel the described activity is acceptable (10 indicates completely acceptable; 1 indicates completely unacceptable).
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Completely Unacceptable |
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Completely Acceptable |
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Experiments conducted on rats. |
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Experiments conducted on dogs or cats. |
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Experiments conducted on monkeys. |
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Painful slaughter of animals for food. |
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Painless slaughter of animals for food. |
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The use of animals for human entertainment (e.g. circus, zoo, rodeo). |
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2.6 The following are proposed reasons that cruelty to animals should be taken more seriously as a crime. Which do you think is the single best reason to favor tougher animal abuse laws? (Select only one.)
Ä Most serial killers first abused animals.
Ä Cruel treatment of animals may be a sign of violence within a home, including child, spouse, or elder abuse.
Ä Defenseless animals should not be subject to extreme cruelty at the hands of humans.
Ä Children who abuse animals are likely to be involved in all types of malicious or violent crimes.
Ä Animal cruelty should not be taken seriously as a crime for any reason.
Ä None of the above reasons are convincing.
2.7 Now, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.
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Strongly Agree |
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Neither Agree nor Disagree |
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There are times when it is acceptable for partners in a romantic relationship to hit each other during an argument. |
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Women who are raped are often just as much to blame as the men who raped them. |
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Men who are violent towards their partners may, nonetheless, be very good fathers. |
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Witnessing violence between parents has few long-term effects on children. |
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It is never acceptable for a teacher to hit a student – with a paddle or otherwise – even for disciplinary purposes. |
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Because children are so poorly behaved these days, parents need to use more physical punishment to control their behavior. |
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2.7 (Continued) Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. |
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Strongly Agree |
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Strongly Disagree |
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It is acceptable in certain circumstances for parents to hit or slap their children when the child has misbehaved. |
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When gay couples publicly display their affection for each other, they are just asking for trouble. |
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Groups like the KKK and Neo-nazis should not be allowed to terrorize minority groups. |
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The ownership and possession of both handguns and automatic weapons should be more strictly monitored and regulated by the government. |
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There is no real reason why the average citizen should own a handgun or assault rifle. |
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People should be able to use whatever means (e.g., guns) necessary to defend their property. |
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The best way to train an animal is through physical force. |
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There is too much violence on TV. |
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Pornography shouldn’t be a source of concern because it’s not hurting anybody involved. |
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A criminal should be subjected to whatever act he/she committed (e.g., a rapist should be raped, a murderer should be murdered). After all, it’s just “an eye for an eye.” |
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Sometimes the bombing of an international enemy is justified, even if civilians in that country are killed. |
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Justice may have been harsh in the Old West, but things worked better then than they do today. |
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Hazing and initiation rites by fraternities or sports teams are usually “all in good fun.” |
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Watching people physically fight is often exciting. |
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Backing down from a fight is cowardly and dishonorable. |
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Sometimes physical violence is acceptable just to make a point. |
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