Australian Animal rights group funds ethics study

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2005/s1530740.htm
Wednesday, 14/12/2005


An Australian university is using money from an animal rights group http://www.voiceless.org.au to research children's attitudes on animal ethics.

Griffith University in Queensland (AU) has accepted a $10,000 grant from the Voiceless organisation, to determine what children think about factory farming and animal justice.

The research aims to develop teaching materials designed to show the children how to act more humanely.

The pilot project will be launched in 15 Queensland schools, and researcher, Dr Gail Tulloch, says she is confident the work will have a positive impact.

"We'll develop the questionnaire and we'll go into schools and test for the knowledge and attitudes of Australian children and teenagers and teachers towards animal ethics issues," she said.

"There is evidence that people who are cruel to animals can also go on and be cruel to humans so it has that sort of instrumental relevance."

The National Farmers Federation says it supports animal welfare initiatives, but is concerned that science and balance are being lost to emotion in Voiceless projects, and that Voiceless money may be used to campaign against the live export trade.



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Queensland Group for Animal Rights
http://www.qgar.oceandrop.org