Brett The Vet - The Big Five

EPISODE 11
The Big Five

The slogan 'Think globally, act locally' continues to take on more relevance particularly in remote places like Prince Albert. Progressive and enlightened ideas concerning every walk of life can be assimilated and applied by each and every person who wants to contribute to a harmonious and productive community.

By our attitudes and ways we are able to demonstrate we care for the world around us, and also for the creatures with which we share it. There is growing international awareness of the sentience of animals, with many countries beginning passing legislation to bring about a 'legal duty of care' to protect animals.

The Five Freedoms Welfare Code is designed to give domestic animals a humane scope of natural ‘freedoms’ which encourages people to recognise the needs of animals in their care and to honour them as sentient beings. In Prince Albert there are many instances where animals are deprived of some or all five freedoms.

This may be due to lack of education, awareness, or consideration. That is why it is up to every one of us who understands the meaning of the Five Freedoms to practise them and to explain to others who
may not have considered basic freedoms at all. The illumination that emanates from grasping this concept is life transforming.

The Five Freedoms are:

Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from pain, injury, disease
Freedom to express normal behaviour
Freedom from fear and distress

Now, it is quite simple to see if an animal is deprived of one or more freedom: If there is no food or water available this will be evident. Discomfort can be caused by anything from lack of bedding material or space to move or sleep, to the lack of shade or shelter provision.

The injured and diseased are easily recognised, and animals can feel pain in the same way that humans do. The expression of normal behaviour in animals is open to interpretation.

Common sense dictates that a dog on a chain cannot run or play; a budgerigar in a small cage cannot fly; battery hens cannot perch, preen, dust bathe or walk around and scratch for worms; cattle in feedlots cannot graze; and neutered animals cannot mate (effectively).

Fear is often misinterpreted as respect, particularly in dogs. Cowardice in man is manifest by using fear in obedience training rather than the generally accepted method of rewarding good behaviour.

There are still people who refuse to consider animals as sentient beings. The current law in this country states that animals are 'property'. We have nothing to lose by giving animals the benefit of any doubts that exist, and so much to gain by developing a sense of awe and grace.