Short notes on Camel nose pegs vis-a-vis welfare issues, The 3Rs concept in lab animal welfare, Devocalization/debarking in pet dogs and cats and Humane slaughter.

 1.      Camel nose pegs vis-a-vis welfare matters

The old woody nose pegs can fragment and even break. This can lead to the camel’s nose becoming infected which, if left untreated, can hazardously lead to septicaemia which may be fatal in some cases. Even if the nose peg is not fractured or broken, bacteria can endlessly reproduce (multiply) in the pores of the timber/bone of the old-style nose pegs, which, can continue to infect the camel even if the camel is undergoing a course of effective antibiotics.

Recent materials such as polycarbonate can be used to make exceptional nose pegs which are indestructible and do not permit the bacteria to produce on the surface or inside.

Welfare Issues of Camels

·         Most usually met welfare matters in working camels are harness/ saddle wounds. As the bulge of the camel is not well provided with blood healing takes a long time, therefore stuffing of the harness is vital.

·         The camel’s nose may be uncertain and may be infected because of the technique of using the nose peg. Typically, the camel vendors use lengthy wooden nose pegs. These woody pegs due to continuous resistance occasionally tear the nasal septum, which may get infected.

2.      The 3Rs concept in lab animal welfare

The Three R’s perception (reduction, refinement and replacement) was established by Russell and Burch (1959) to deliver a framework for refining the conduct and ethical suitability of experimental methods on animals. Since then it has become a mutual focus for both animal safety and scientific groups. Many nations now have laws needing that the 3 R’s should be applied to minimise injury to animals.

Three R’s are:

Reduction: Any approach that will reduce the number of animals being used in laboratory exploration.

Refinement: Modify the experimental process to minimise discomfort and increase quality.

Replacement: Procedures which elude or substitute the use of animals in laboratory research with other choices like 3D models.

The concept of 4th R, “Rehabilitation of laboratory animals” denotes to aftercare rendered to animals that have been:

·         Bred for experimentation.

·         Subject to any form of experimentation.

·         Retained in animal/breeding houses for more experimentations or tutoring.

The sole purpose of rehabilitation is improving the pain or suffering due to experimentation and to extend the life of the animals until the point of natural death.

3.      Devocalization / debarking in pet dogs and cats

Devocalization is also known as debarking, devoicing or bark relaxing. Systematically it is referred to as Venticulocordectomy, which is to be performed mainly for therapeutic resolutions. Devocalization is an operating technique accomplished on dogs and cats, where the tissue is detached from the animal’s vocal cords to enduringly reduce the volume of its vocalizations.

Reasons for Devocalization

·   Animal benefits: If behavioural and management interferences have failed to reduce barking, performing the devocalization may prevent relinquishment.

·       Human benefits: Reduced noise pollution causing harm to human hearing, less irritation from dogs that bark excessively.

Welfare Concerns

·         Barking complements graphic and postural cues as a means of a message.

·        Dogs may bark in performance, like a greeting, as a threatening, to gain courtesy, and while working.

·         Devocalization is serious cooperation of liberty to express usual behaviour.

·         Unnecessary barking is commonly related to a fundamental welfare issue with the dog.

Risks Associated with Devocalization

·         Risk of mortality in general anaesthesia under which devocalization is completed.

·         Pain and uneasiness throughout the healing of the surgical process.

·         The risk for development of scar tissue and narrowing of the throat post devocalization surgery.

·         Results in complications like bleeding, acute airway swelling.

4.      Humane slaughter

In humane slaughter, stunning made the animals unconscious. The stunning, not only benefits in reducing pain by making instant insensibility, but also produces immovability of the animal which helps in relaxed handling of animals throughout sticking/bleeding.

Whatever maybe the stunning method, highest care has to be taken to avoid imperfect stunning or death of animals before killing.

The choice of a particular stunning method depends on many factors like:

·         Class of animal

·         Cost and ease of operation

·         Safety of personnel

·         Effect on the carcass

·         Religious and legal requirements.

Stunning can be done by the following methods:

1.      Mechanical stunning: - Physical force by captive bolt pistol, mushroom head percussion stunner, pneumatic bolt stunner is used to make the animals unconscious by destructing brain tissues.

2.      Chemical stunning: - Gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, argon etc. used for this purpose, but carbon dioxide gas is most suitable.

3.      Electrical stunning: - An alternative current (low or high voltage) is passed through the brain/heart of animal for stunning.