Articles

Andres attending to a dog | Photo credit: The GAAP

Jan 23, 2024 Changing Human-Dog Interactions: One Organization at a Time

Posted at 09:47h In Animal Well-being, Articles, Companion Animals, Global Dog Campaign, Public Awareness/Attitudes, Tales of WellBeing - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil

Thousands of nongovernment organizations (NGOs) are working worldwide to improve the well-being of dogs. Still, providing even a rough estimate of the global impact of these dog welfare projects has proved very challenging. Some organizations – such as the Soi Dog Foundation – have and...

Lab | Photo credit: Microgen, Shutterstock

Jan 23, 2024 A History of Alternatives to the Use of Animals in Research and Testing

Posted at 09:40h In Animal Well-being, Articles, Laboratory Animals, Tales of WellBeing - By Dr. John Parascandola

I have recently completed the manuscript for a book on The History of the Development of Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing, which is scheduled to be published by Purdue University Press in July 2024. Andrew Rowan has asked me to write a short...

Centenarian | Photo credit: cometary, iStock

Jan 09, 2024 The Blue Zones, Well-being, and Feel Better

Posted at 10:14h In Articles, Human Well-being, Public Awareness/Attitudes, WellBeing News - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil and Kathleen Rowan CEO, WellBeing International

Multiple media reports have been published on five “Blue Zones” – areas with relatively high numbers of people living to be 100 years old or older. In addition, these centenarians have lower rates of dementia and enjoy good health. Are there genetic or environmental traits...

Gas plant flaring | Photo credit: Alexisaj, Shutterstock

Dec 26, 2023 Methane and Climate Change

Posted at 10:30h In Articles, Climate Change, Well-being, WellBeing News - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil

Methane is the smallest hydrocarbon – a chemical compound containing only carbon and hydrogen molecules – and has the chemical formula CH4. It is the main component (70-90%) of natural gas, and when burned, one molecule of methane produces one molecule of carbon dioxide and...

Photo credit: corradobarattaphotos, iStock

Dec 20, 2023 Well-Being

Posted at 08:44h In Articles, Tales of WellBeing, Well-being - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil and Kathleen Rowan CEO, WellBeing International

“A responsible caretaker of our world must safeguard people, animals, and the environment for each element is tightly connected and dependent on the well-being of the others.” ~Andrew RowanGlobal interest in the well-being of people, animals, and a sustainable environment has grown dramatically. This increasing...

Dec 05, 2023 COP28, Climate Change, and Global Stocktake

Posted at 13:24h In Articles, Climate Change, Environment Well-being, Letter from the President, Sustainability/Biodiversity - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil and Kathleen Rowan CEO, WellBeing International

IntroductionThe twenty-eighth session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) on climate change opened in Dubai on Thursday, 30 November, and is scheduled to last until Tuesday, 12 December. Early speakers included King Charles III and President Narendra Modi, who addressed a gathering that included more...

Dec 05, 2023 Where is the Evidence that Laboratory Animal Use is Falling?

Posted at 13:21h In Animal Sentience, Animal Well-being, Articles, Laboratory Animals, WellBeing News - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil

In 1995, the Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy released a report that claimed, inter alia, that laboratory animal use in the USA had declined by 50% since its peak in the 1970s. Several animal activists criticized this claim. However, various data sets indicate...

Dec 05, 2023 COP 28 – Running Out Of Time

Posted at 13:12h In Articles, Climate Change, Environment Well-being, Sustainability/Biodiversity, WellBeing News - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil

The climate conference in Dubai in December 2023 is the 28th such Conference of Parties (i.e. COP 28). The first such conference was held in Berlin in 1995. But, as economist Jeffrey Sachs opines, the world’s governments do not have much to show for their...

Free range chickens | Photo credit: Sonja Filitz, Shutterstock

Nov 19, 2023 New Thinking and Policies on Animal Welfare

Posted at 11:52h In Animal Well-being, Articles, Farm Animals, Letter from the President - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil

In 1964, Animal Machines by Ruth Harrison was published in the UK. The book described how farmed animals were kept closely confined in new industrial animal farming systems (commonly described as “factory farming”). The book launched an uproar in British society, prompting the government to...

Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) flying in front of sea cliffs at Noss breeding colony, Noss, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK | Video credit: Distil-Media, Shutterstock

Nov 19, 2023 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Revisited

Posted at 11:42h In Animal Well-being, Animals, Articles, Environment Well-being, Public Awareness/Attitudes, WellBeing News - By Andrew Rowan, DPhil

The February and March issues of WellBeing News carried articles on the emergence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. While the world is thoroughly sick of hearing about pandemic virus threats, we are adding another update because of the high risk to biodiversity of...