Political Animals: Animal Protection Politics in Britain and the United States

300 Pages·1998·30.78 MB·English

by  Robert Garner (auth.)

POLITICAL ANIMALS
Also by Robert Garner
ANIMALS, POLffiCS AND MORALITY
ANIMAL RIGHTS: The Changing Debate (editor)
BRffiSH POLITICAL PARTIES TODAY (with Richard Kelly)
ENVIRONMENTAL POLmCS
Political Animals
Animal Protection Politics in Britain
and the United States
Robert Garner
Lecturer in Politics
University ofL eicester
First published in Great Britain 1998 by
MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London
Companies and representatives throughout the world
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-0-333-73000-3 ISBN 978-1-349-26438-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-26438-4
First published in the United States of America 1998 by
ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC.,
Scholarly and Reference Division,
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010
ISBN 978-0-312-21208-7
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gamer, Robert, 1960-
Political animals : animal protection politics in Britain and the
United States I Robert Garner.
p. em.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-312-21208-7 (cloth)
1. Animal welfare--Great Britain. 2. Animal welfare-United
States. 3. Animal welfare-Political aspects-Great Britain.
4. Animal welfare-Political aspects-United States. I. Title.
HV4545.A4G37 1997
179'.3'0941-dc21 97-38262
CIP
~ Robert Gamer 1998
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made
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Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to
criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and
sustained forest sources.
10987654321
07 06 OS 04 03 02 01 00 99 98
Contents
List of Tables viii
List ofA bbreviations
X
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction 1
Animal protection and mainstream public policy 2
Pluralism, policy networks and animal
protection 5
A guide to the chapters 8
Pluralism, animal protection and research
methodology 12
1 The Institutional Framework of Animal
Protection 16
Legislative support for animal protection 16
Sectorization and the structure of animal
protection decision-making 21
Institutional structures and animal protection
in Britain 22
Institutional structures and animal protection in
the United States 29
2 The Economics and Politics of Animal
Exploitation 39
The political economy of wildlife and animal
entertainment 40
The economic structure of intensive agriculture 43
The animal research community 47
The political organization of the animal-use lobby 50
3 The Animal Protection Movement:
Recruitment, Ideology and Strategy 68
Mancur Olson and membership recruitment 68
Rational choice and human interests 71
Group maintenance and the role of the
entrepreneur 73
v
vi Contents
Animal rights and solidaristic collectivism -
A post-Olsonian agenda 76
Animal rights and the 'new welfarism' 81
4 Lobbying for Animals 93
The development of the modem animal
protection movement 93
Key political actors 95
Financial resources and political influence 100
Organizational alliances and policy
sectorization 103
5 Parliament and Animal Protection 109
Parliament's limited role 109
Parliament and hunting Ill
Legislation, scrutiny and agenda setting 114
The extent of animal advocacy in parliament 115
Profile of animal advocates in the House 116
6 American Legislators and Animal Protection 122
The scope of Congressional support 122
Conclusion 136
7 The Politics of Farm Animal Welfare in the
United States 139
Historical origins and development of the
agricultural policy community 140
Congressional committees and farm animal
welfare 141
Congress, USDA and farm animals 146
A brighter future for farm animal welfare? 149
8 The Politics of Farm Animal Welfare in Britain 151
The challenge of animal welfare 152
A damage limitation exercise? 153
A genuine attempt to balance interests? 162
A policy community under siege 169
9 The Politics of Animal Research in Britain 176
Origins of the animal research policy network 176
Littlewood to Mellor 177
Contents vii
1986 Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 182
Ten Years on- have the animals benefited? 187
The three Rs 192
Enforcement 198
10 The Politics of Animal Research in the
United States 202
Public pressure and Congressional action 202
Laboratory Animal Welfare Act 1966 202
Improved Standards for Laboratory Animals
Act 1985 205
Pet Theft Act 1990 208
What has Congress achieved? 209
Executive agencies and animal testing 214
The issue network and regulatory obstruction 215
Enforcement failures 223
Conclusion: Animal Protection and
Pluralist Politics 229
The degree of policy sectorization 229
Power structures within networks 230
The relationship between structure and outcome 231
Explaining change 234
Appendix L· Database Design 238
Appendix II: Qyestionnaire Design 239
~~ 2~
Bibliography 267
Index 278
List of Tables
1.1 Bills on animal protection introduced in the British
Parliament, 1950-9 5 17
1.2 Bills and resolutions on animal protection and
wildlife conservation introduced in the US
Congress in selected years between 1955
and 1968 19
1.3 Animal protection and wildlife conservation bills
and resolutions introduced in the US House of
Representatives, 1985-94 20
1.4 Targets of Parliamentary questions on animal
protection and wildlife conservation, 1985-95 22
2.1 Interested parties at selected Congressional
Hearings on the Endangered Species Act,
1973-82 40
2.2 Politically active animal use organizations in
Britain and the United States 52
2.3 Animal welfare bills in Britain and the United
States used in questionnaire 60
4.1 Reputional survey of British and American animal
protection and wildlife conservation groups 96
4.2 The budgets of the major animal protection and
wildlife conservation organizations in the United
States, 1996 99
5.1 The top 36 animal advocates in the House of
Commons, 1987-92 117
5.2 Geographical profile of MPs interested in animal
issues, 1987-92 119
5.3 Party labels of MPs interested in animal issues,
1987-92 120
5.4 Support for animal issues in the House of
Commons by gender, 1987-92 121
6.1 Congressional supporters of animal protection
and wildlife conservation initiatives, 1985-94 123
6.2 Intensity of support for animal protection and
wildlife conservation measures in the House of
Representatives, 1985-94 123
viii
List of Tables ix
6.3 Representatives displaying the greatest interest in
wildlife conservation and animal protection bills
and resolutions in the House, 1985-94 125
6.4 Support for wildlife measures in the US House of
Representatives, 1985-94 126
6.5 Support for animal protection measures in the US
House of Representatives, 1985-94 126
6.6 Geographical profile of Representatives
interested in Animal Issues, 1985-94 128
6.7 Rural and urban profile of Representatives
interested in animal issues, 1985-94 129
6.8 Party strength in the House of Representatives,
1985-94 130
6.9 Party labels of Representatives interested in
animal issues, 1985-94 131
6.10 Women in the House of Representatives and
animal issues, 1985-94 132
6.11 Female Representatives most interested in animal
issues, 1985-94 133
6.12 The age profile of Representatives, 1985-92 134
6.13 Age profile of Representatives interested in animal
issues, 1985-92 134
9.1 Animal Procedures Committee: membership as at
31 December 1994 190
9.2 Scientific procedures, 1987-94 193
9.3 Animal suffering in UK scientific procedures,
1987-93 195
9.4 Enforcement under the 1986 Animals (Scientific
Procedures) Act, 1987-94 199