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Veterinary Ethics
Sharadhuli I. Kimera* and James E. D. Mlangwa
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture,
Morogoro, Tanzania
Abstract
Veterinary ethics is the application of ethical theories, principles, and rules by professionals and para-
professionals in resolving ethical dilemmas in the practice of veterinary care. In order to resolve ethical
dilemmas, a minimum understanding of and exposure to moral theories is essential. Aesculapian authority
and professionalism confer on veterinarians the right to treat animals and the expectation from the public
that veterinarians will act in the interest of the animal, client, and the public. Branches of veterinary ethics
are described with a greater focus on normative ethics, or theories are discussed. The fundamental
problem of veterinary professional ethics relating to the vet-patient-client triad and the complications
arising from the dualist nature of veterinary medicine pitting professionalism against commercial interests
are explored. Having laid the theoretical basis, the rest of the entry examines various issues with ethical
dimensions. Included are euthanasia, genetic manipulations, disease control by mass slaughters, comple-
mentary and alternative veterinary medicine/ethnoveterinary medicine, wildlife capture, veterinary public
health, and One Health ethical issues. The enforcement of fair competition practices is forcing a
reexamination of relationships between veterinarians leading to changes in professional ethics. Animal
ethics, research ethics, and animal welfare are dealt with in separate entries in the encyclopedia.
Keywords
Animal ethics; Animal welfare; Veterinary ethics; Philosophy; Ethical theories; Ethical principles; Ethical
rules; Aesculapian authority and professionalism; Branches of veterinary ethics; Ethical dimensions and
dilemmas
Introduction
Veterinary ethics is a field of ethics concerned with the practical application of ethical theories, principles,
and moral standards to the conduct of individuals involved in veterinary service delivery systems that are
meant to benefit animals, owners, and the public. Stephens (2012) considers veterinary ethics to be
composed of veterinary professional ethics and animal ethics, but Tannenbaum (1995) who defines
animal ethics as the moral obligations that people have for animals restricts veterinary ethics to the
provision of veterinary care. Given that there are other separate entries on animal ethics and animal
welfare which have ethical dimensions, this entry will largely follow Tannenbaum and focus on veterinary
professional ethics.
The entry will start by providing a background to veterinary ethics under the History and Development
section, and then key concepts and definitions will be provided. The relationship between veterinary
ethics and related fields will be explored, and the philosophical theories, principles, codes, standards, and
*Email: sikimera@gmail.com
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rules will be discussed including the different branches of veterinary ethics. The next major section will
cover the key ethical dimensions of veterinary professional ethics under the following subheadings:
tripartite relationships (uniqueness of veterinary profession), euthanasia, complementary and alternative
veterinary medicine/ethnoveterinary, public health issues, public infectious disease management strate-
gies, animal breeding and genetic selection, working in wildlife ecosystems, veterinary ethics in business
setting, and possible ethical challenges in the future (One health initiative).
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The recognition that animals are sentient beings in that they feel pain, they recognize their surround-
ings, and they express happiness and the fact that animals can bond with people have led people to
advocate for ethical treatment of animals, and this has in turn had effect on developments in veterinary
ethics (veterinarians are expected to relieve animal sufferings, do no harm to animals directly and
indirectly, etc.).
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draw their principles to develop standards, codes, and rules. Normative ethics raises questions of interest
for descriptive ethics. Normative ethics is about values, whereas descriptive ethics is about facts
(Sugarman and Sulmasy 2010).
Role of Theory
Professionals should have some capabilities in ethical reasoning so that they can distinguish which
practices are ethical and which are not or be able to distinguish right from wrong, good from bad in
complex situations (Bowden and Smythe 2008). When there is more than one mutually exclusive courses
of action with ethical dimensions, an ethical dilemma occurs. Professionals would need some basic
knowledge of moral philosophy to guide them out of such situations.
The relationship between ethical rules, codes, standards, principles, and theories is hierarchical based
on the degree of specificity and purpose. Ethical rules are specific statements about ethical behavior; they
prescribe action to be taken. Ethical principles are broader than rules serving as the foundation for rules.
They stand as models of behavior and good practice and are found in ethical theories. Ethical theories
provide a justification for how ethical decisions are made and assist in resolving conflicts among
principles or rules. Codes which are similar to standards are compilations of ethical rules and are therefore
often prescriptive (Newman and Brown 1996).
Normative Ethics
Normative ethics provides the concepts and principles used to solve applied ethics dilemmas. Normative
ethics involves arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. The Golden Rule which
reads “People should do to others what they would want others to do to them” is a classic example of a
normative principle. One can theoretically determine whether any possible action is right or wrong. It is a
single principle against which all actions are judged. Other normative theories focus on a set of
foundational principles or a set of good character traits. Out of the about 15 theories in existence
(Singer 1993), three major ethical theories – virtue, deontological, and teleological theories – dominate
the field (Bowden and Smythe 2008).
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Deontological Theories
Many people feel that human beings have clear obligations, such as to not commit murder. Duty theories
base morality on specific, foundational principles of obligation. These are deontological theories (deon is
the Greek word for duty), in view of the foundational nature of our duty or obligation. There are four
central duty theories.
Firstly, people have duties toward others; these can be divided between absolute duties, which are
universally binding on people, and conditional duties, which are the result of contracts between people.
Absolute duties are of three sorts: avoid wronging others, treat people as equals, and promote the good of
others. Conditional duties involve various types of agreements, the principal one of which is the duty to
keep one’s promises.
A second duty-based approach to ethics is rights theory. Most generally, a “right” is a justified claim
against another person’s behavior, but rights and duties are related in such a way that the rights of one
person implies the duties of another person. Three foundational rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness from which more specific rights including the rights of property, movement, speech, and
religious expression are deduced. These rights are natural, universal, and equal and are inalienable.
A third duty-based theory emphasizes a single principle of duty obliging us to “Treat people as an end
and never as a means to an end.” That is, people should always be treated with dignity and never be used as
mere instruments.
A fourth and more recent duty-based theory emphasizes prima facie duties which are believed to reflect
our actual moral convictions; these duties are fidelity, the duty to keep promises; reparation, the duty to
compensate others having harmed them; gratitude, the duty to thank those who help us; justice, the duty to
recognize merit; beneficence, the duty to improve the conditions of others; self-improvement, the duty to
improve our virtue and intelligence; and non-maleficence, the duty to not injure others. In veterinary
ethics, these theories and principles give rise to the do’s and don’t do’s found in professional and
administrative ethics to which veterinarians are expected to conform.
Teleological Theories
It is common for people to determine their moral responsibility by weighing the consequences of their
actions. Correct moral conduct is determined solely by a cost-benefit analysis of an action’s consequences.
An action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable. The
theories are called teleological theories, from the Greek word telos, or end, since the end result of the
action is the sole determining factor of its morality. They are also known as consequentialist theories.
The most attractive feature of consequentialism is that it appeals to publicly observable consequences
of actions. Most versions of teleological theories are more precisely formulated than the general principle
above. In particular, competing consequentialist theories specify which consequences for affected groups
of people are relevant. Three end criteria are in use:
Firstly, in ethical egoism, an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable
than unfavorable only to the agent performing the action. Secondly, in ethical altruism, an action is
morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone except
the agent, and lastly, in utilitarianism, an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more
favorable than unfavorable to everyone.
In applying teleological theories, one may place some constraints against the agent in maximizing
overall goodness by invoking deontological principles such as it is a duty for all people to make sure that
they do not treat others in a way that merely makes them a means to the end of maximizing overall
goodness, whatever that may be. One may thus not save five people by killing another who serves as an
organ donor for the five, or one should obtain informed consent from a research participant even though
the researcher believes that the research will be beneficial to the participant (participant being used as a
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means). These theories require veterinarians to take into account the consequences of their intended action
before they take a decision on what to do in moral dilemmas.
Applied Ethics
Applied ethics is the branch of ethics which consists of the analysis of specific, controversial moral issues
such as animal rights or euthanasia. Usually, two features are necessary for an issue to be considered an
“applied ethical issue.” Firstly, the issue needs to be controversial in the sense that there are significant
groups of people both for and against the issue at hand. Secondly, it must be a distinctly moral issue.
What makes resolving a particular applied ethical issue difficult is the multitude of rival normative
principles from which to choose, many of which yield opposite conclusions. As such, there is no single
decisive procedure for determining the morality of a specific issue. Several normative principles have to
be examined to provide the required guidance.
The following four principles are the ones most commonly appealed to in applied medical ethical
discussions: (i) beneficence, which is the duty to do good and in teleological theories may be crafted as
maximize net benefits; (ii) non-maleficence, meaning do not harm others; (iii) autonomy, which acknowl-
edges a person’s freedom over his/her actions or physical body; and (iv) justice, which acknowledges a
person’s right to due process, fair compensation for harm done, treat people equally and without prejudice,
and equitable distribution of benefits and burdens (Beauchamp and Childress 2001).
In veterinary ethics, the principles may read as beneficence, non-maleficence, justice (to other veter-
inarians, owners, the public, and animals), and respect for the autonomy of owners. These normative
principles are derived from both teleological- and deontological-based approaches.
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veterinarian and the client can then be cast in the language of principal-agent theory in which the problems
of moral hazards and adverse selection are abound.
The fundamental problem is made even more complex when veterinary public health issues such as
antibiotic residues are considered in which case the veterinarian, animal, owner, and the public become
the relevant relationship. In this case, should primary concern be that of the animal or the public?
Ethical Dimensions
In this section, the long held principles of ethics in veterinary profession as well as dilemmas facing
veterinarians in the daily performance of their duties are examined. More often than not, veterinarians are
viewed or would prefer to be viewed as a role model in matters of animal welfare, moral standard, and
perfect representation of humanity at large. This is exemplified by the presence of a series of rules and
procedures that are ingrained in their education system, professional organizations, legislature, and
enforceable non-written practices that should strictly be observed in one’s professional life. However,
the existence of these procedures notwithstanding, the reality on the ground indicates a number of
challenges that make attaining the model more difficult. Most of the challenges arise in the decision-
making process where a number of dilemmas exist, and when a decision has been made, the consequences
of the actions thereafter have ethical, legal, financial (economic), and social implications.
Perhaps, the core to these dilemmas arises because veterinarians fail to distinguish between ethical and
welfare issues. Furthermore, the multitude of players with differing mandates leaves many veterinarians
slightly confused on course of action and yet maintaining professional objectives and manages a business
profitably.
Euthanasia
According to the Oxford dictionary, euthanasia is defined as “The painless killing of a patient suffering
from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.” Although this procedure is prohibited to
humans in most countries and still a subject of immense debate among medical professionals and
nonprofessionals alike, the veterinary profession permits termination of life to an animal humanely for
reasons specifically meant to remove suffering and protect their welfare. Veterinarians therefore are
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obliged to carry out a procedure that most psychologists agree has lasting effect on the performer. The
sequelae to this include stress and possible depression and hence affecting the mental health of veteri-
narians. On the other hand, the interpretation of the reasons and means of termination has attracted
scrutiny of various actors, specifically those in the animal welfare cycles.
(i) Cases of unwanted healthy animals whose owners prefer termination of life for personal reasons (e.g.,
owners moving away and are unwilling to give the animal(s) for adoption, or old age animals)
(ii) Cases of animals whose owners refuse to give permission for euthanasia for personal reasons
although the veterinarian judges that it is to the best interest of the animal to perform euthanasia
Means of Termination
Controversy exists as to which method satisfies “all” conditions of humane means of termination of life of
an animal. Recommended methods for termination of life include the use of chemicals/drugs, physical, or
a combination of both depending on the species, age, and circumstances. Most chemicals that are
recommended for euthanasia are classified as POM (prescription-only medicines) that are authorized to
be used by veterinarians and/or other categories of professionals who are legally licensed to perform this
procedure. Their availability in all circumstances is therefore not possible. Furthermore, their efficacy is
questionable much as it is in humans.
Physical means such as decapitation, electrocution, and guns are subject for debate primarily because of
the physical reaction of the body after application. The need to be particularly accurate in the application
in order to achieve the desired effect is hard to substantiate in all conditions.
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because drug manufacturers are aggressively pushing to market their products directly to farmers. Just as
the case with doping in sports, reporting these actions and proving the risk to consumers may be harder to
veterinarians.
Also, veterinarians are required to ensure that animals that are slaughtered for human consumption are
humanly treated during the process. However, as with the case of euthanasia, there is a gray area as to what
constitutes a humane method of stunning. Furthermore, certain religious slaughter requires standards that
are set based on beliefs which are difficult to scientifically prove that the methods are humane.
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occur such as animals being drowned having sought sanctuary in water bodies, predators catching prey,
and injuries while fleeing after administration of drugs.
While these activities are important for improvement of quality of life for humans and animals in the
long run, ethical dilemmas exist in the short run as to whether these actions are morally justified given the
dangers posed to animals.
Conclusion
Veterinary ethics is the application of ethical theories, principles, and rules by professionals and para-
professionals in resolving ethical dilemmas in the practice of veterinary care. Veterinary ethics is a
relatively new concept that has evolved rapidly in the last few decades. Various theories and principles
have been defined, and they underpin knowledge and understanding from which actions of veterinarians
can be measured and evaluated. As technology and novel innovations develop, the practice of giving
veterinary care should also change, and boundaries between ethical and nonethical practice need to be
redefined as well.
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Apart from development in technology and innovations, the spectrum of influence for veterinarians
also widens to include areas traditionally not considered the domain of the veterinary profession.
Involvement of veterinarians in such areas as the wildlife, aquatic fauna, and one health approach ushers
in new challenges in veterinary practice. These gray areas will demand adaptation of principles and
theories and, consequently, the rules and norms.
Furthermore, the increase in global social dynamics driven by growing numbers of educated elite,
increased economic status, and ease of communication causes social pressure to accommodate new
ethical values to the veterinary profession. Obviously, research will be required to elucidate scientific
evidence for effect of new values and the best cause of action, but individual decisions of veterinarians
will have to be made subjectively depending on circumstances of an event. Hence, ethical dilemmas are
likely to confront veterinarians in their quest to provide appropriate care to the animals.
Cross-References
▶ Alternative Medicine
▶ Animal Ethics
▶ Animal Research
▶ Animal Rights
▶ Animal Welfare
▶ Applied Ethics
▶ Autonomy
▶ Benefit and Harm
▶ Bioethics: Clinical
▶ Bioethics: Medical
▶ Consent: Informed
▶ Professional Ethics
▶ Professionalism
▶ Professional-Patient Relationship
▶ Property Rights
▶ Utilitarianism
▶ Virtue Ethics
References
Arries, E. (2005). Virtue ethics: An approach to moral dilemmas in nursing. Curationis, 28(3), 64–72.
Beauchamp, T., & Childress, J. (2001). Principles of biomedical ethics (5th ed., pp. 57–272). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Bowden, P., & Smythe, V. (2008). Theories on teaching & training in ethics. Electronic Journal of
Business Ethics and Organization Studies (EJBO), 13(2), 19–26. Retrieved from http://ejbo.jyu.fi/pdf/
ejbo_vol13_no2_pages_19-26.pdf
Denmark. (2014). Annual report on competition policy developments in Denmark 2013. Retrived from
http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=DAF/COMP/AR(2014)3&
docLanguage=En
Gardiner, P. A. (2003). Virtue ethics approach to moral dilemmas in medicine. Journal of Medical Ethics,
29, 297–302.
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Newman, D. L., & Brown, R. D. (1996). Applied ethics for program evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Rollin, B. E. (2006). An introduction to veterinary medical ethics: Theory and cases (2nd ed.). Oxford:
Wiley-Blackwell.
Sandoe, P., & Christiansen, S. B. (2008). Ethics of animal use. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Singer, P. (1993). A companion to ethics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Stephens, T. (2012). Veterinary professional ethics. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/
171503442/Veterinary-Professional-Ethics-TS
Sugarman, J., & Sulmasy, D. P. (Eds.). (2010). Methods in medical ethics (2nd ed.). Washington, DC:
Georgetown University Press.
Tannenbaum, J. (1995). Veterinary ethics: Animal welfare, client relations, competition and collegiality
(2nd ed.). Baltimore: William and Wilkins.
Woods, A. (2013). The history of veterinary ethics in Britain, ca.1870–2000. In Wathes, C. M., Corr,
S. A., May, S. A., McCulloch, S. P., & Whiting, M. C. (Eds.), Veterinary and animal ethics: pro-
ceedings of the first international conference on veterinary and animal ethics, September 2011.
(pp. 3–18). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Further Readings
Ethics. (n.d.). Internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/category/
value/ethics/
Legood, G. (Ed.). (2000). Veterinary ethics: An introduction. London: Continuum Publishing.
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