Studies Show Fish Have the Capacity to Feel Pain and Suffer
Two recent studies suggest that fish and other invertebrates may feel pain and experience fear and other complex emotions that contribute to their ability to suffer. The first study includes a paper from a University of Birmingham (England) researcher that says that invertebrates respond similarly to vertebrate animals when exposed to noxious stimuli. The author uses this response to stimuli as a basis for invertebrates being able to experience pain, but also notes that some people believe such responses are only reflexes. The paper goes on to draw a possible distinction between less "complex" invertebrates such as insects compared with cephalopods, including octopuses, squids, etc. The paper is published in the Journal of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research and concludes with the perspective that greater care should be provided to invertebrates in lab environments. Another study conducted by students from the University of Guelph (Canada) provides evidence that fish respond to fear similarly to other animals who are more commonly believed to be sentient. According to one researcher, "There is more evidence that fish do have some level of consciousness than there is evidence against it, and it is logically more likely that fish are sentient animals than they are not." The research is focused on determining whether or not fish have the neuro-anatomical structures that allow them to have consciousness and experience pain and suffering. The series of ongoing studies is being conducted by the University of Guelph's "fish welfare group" and is sponsored by the Animal Welfare Institute and the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing. 1. "A Question of Pain in Invertebrates," ILAR Journal, 10/16/05 http://dels.nas.edu/ilar_n/ilarjournal/33_1_2/V33_1_2Question.shtml 2. "What Fish Feel," AWI Online, 10/14/05 http://www.awionline.org/pubs/Quarterly/05_54_04/05_54_4p19.htm __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/08NolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> contact owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mail list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Delivered-To: mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] List-Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] no flaming arguing or denigration of others allowed contact owner with complaints regarding posting/list or anything else. Thank you. please share/comment/inform and mostly enjoy this list Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quick_vegetarian/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
