2018: What We Did

Thank you so much for your support of the Kimmela Center this year. Our mission is to apply the best science to the work of animal protection, and here are some of the highlights you made possible this year through your tax-deductible donations.

The Someone Project

Gary the calf playing in the fields of Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter. Photo from Farm Sanctuary

This joint Kimmela Center / Farm Sanctuary venture brings together the best scientific evidence for cognitive, emotional and social complexity in farmed animals.

This year Dr. Deb Merskin of Univ. of Oregon and I completed and submitted a paper entitled Sharp Sheep: Intelligence, Complexity, and Individuality in Ovis Aries  to a major peer-reviewed journal, and we are working on the white paper to be published in early 2019.

We look forward to announcing the paper’s publication so that you can enjoy and learn about the complex inner minds of sheep.

And check out our most recent publication The Psychology of Cows to learn more about these interesting animals who are known for their strong maternal bonds.

Scholar Advocacy Shines at Superpod 6

Students from the group Heirs to the Oceans at the Superpod 6 conference.

Superpod 6 is a biennial gathering on San Juan Island, off the coast of Seattle, of scientists, advocates and students who are concerned about marine mammals and the oceans. Part of the conference is devoted to presentations by young scholar advocates and is organized by the Kimmela Center.

This year’s scholar-advocacy session included full presentations by students as young as 11 years old, all presenting their original work.

Check out these excellent talks.

Presentations

At venues from coast to coast across the U.S. and Canada, my presentations and other outreaches to the public, academics, students and policy makers have focused on the scientific evidence for intelligence, self-awareness and emotional complexity in dolphins and whales and farmed animals.

At the University of Montreal at Quebec, I gave a talk on “Who Are Dolphins?”:


Also at the University of Montreal at Quebec, I spoke on “The Inconvenient Truth about Thinking Chickens”:


And at the University of Denver, on “Dolphin and whale brains: a challenge for primate-centered views of intelligence”:


TEDx at The Nueva School

As part of our outreach to students and promotion of scholar advocacy, I gave a TEDx talk at The Nueva School in California where I was able to share with the students and their parents how I became a scholar advocate for the animals. I recounted how my scientific work led me to understand who dolphins and whales are and why they fare so poorly in entertainment parks.

I left the students with the message that when they see something they want to change, they should never take no for an answer. It was a rewarding experience to meet such talented and passionate representatives of the future.

Canadian Bill S-203

It has taken almost three years, but finally, in October, the Canadian Senate passed Bill S-203, which would end cetacean captivity in Canada.

Our involvement with this bill began in 2016, when members of the Kimmela team presented scientific evidence to the Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans on the intelligence, social needs and welfare requirements of whales and dolphins. After that, we continued to work closely with senators to counter misinformation that was being presented by advocates for the marine park entertainment industry.

The bill is now in the House, and we are again working closely with its sponsors. I look forward to a time when no whales or dolphins will be performing tricks for misinformed audiences.

Your tax-deductible donation, large or small, will greatly help us to succeed in our mission to use the power of science to bring an end to the abuse and exploitation of nonhuman animals.

Thank you again and a very Happy New Year!

Lori Marino
Executive Director
The Kimmela Center

Scholar-Advocacy Shines at Superpod 6

On July 18th, a group of nine young scholar-advocates took the stage at the San Juan Island Community Theater at Superpod 6 as part of the Second Biennial Scholar-Advocacy session.

Superpod 6 is a gathering of marine mammal experts, advocates and policy makers who convene on San Juan Island for several days to share their knowledge and ideas. This year scholar-advocates as young as 11 years old presented their original work for marine mammals and the oceans.

Here are links to these wonderful talks. Enjoy!


Heirs to Our Oceans – Our Water, Our Planet, Our Cetaceans, and Us:


The Heirs shared their learning and experiences from their journey of the past two years and their plans to continue their work in ocean conservation to empower youth of all backgrounds around the world.


Andrew Robinson –  The Case Against Captivity:

Andrew presented an eloquent classical discourse or argument that SeaWorld should release the killer whales in their parks to a seaside sanctuary.


Jenny KaticMarine Mammal Inventory Report: A Preliminary Research on Bottlenose Dolphins:

Jenny presented her preliminary research on the usefulness of the Marine Mammal Inventory Report (MMIR) for obtaining accurate information about captive dolphins.


London FletcherStanding on the Shoulders of Giants:

London showed a video which gave a brief update on her advocacy work since the last Superpod meeting, her fight to save the Southern Resident Killer Whales, and her internship with the Orca Research Trust.


Mariah KirbyUntil Toki is home: Miami Seaquarium, STL Rally, and Blackfish the children’s book:

Mariah presented parts of her YouTube video entitled “A day at Miami Seaquarium. Toothless Dolphins?!” in which she documented Lolita and other marine mammals at the aquarium. She also discussed her self-published children’s book, Blackfish: From Planet to Park (available on Amazon).


Jessie HawkCall of the Wild: The Importance of Shifting Public Opinion:


Jessie discussed the results of her survey of 50 respondents on the most effective way to change the general public’s opinion of keeping orcas in marine parks.


Thank you for your support. Please follow us on our Facebook page as we bring you more examples of students using their talents and education to advocate for other animals and our planet.

Scholar-Advocacy Returns to Superpod

On July 18th, a group of nine young scholar-advocates will take the stage at the San Juan Island Community Theater at Superpod 6 as part of the Second Biennial Scholar-Advocacy session.

Superpod 6 is a gathering of marine mammal experts, advocates and policy makers who convene on San Juan Island for several days to share their knowledge and ideas. This year scholar-advocates as young as 10 years old will showcase the way they’ve been using their education, talents and energy to advocate for marine mammals and the oceans.

There will also be a panel discussion about professional issues among the young scholar-advocates and Drs. Naomi Rose, Ingrid Visser, and Lori Marino.

Scholar-Advocacy Superpod 6 Schedule, Abstracts and Bios

Wednesday, July 18th, Community Theater, Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA

10:45-11:00 Mariah Kirby Until Toki is Home: Miami Seaquarium, STL 
11:00-11:15 Andrew Robinson The Case Against Captivity: Orcinus orca
11:15-11:30 London Fletcher Walking in the Footsteps of Giants
11:30-11:45 Jenny Katic Marine Mammal Inventory Report: Preliminary Research on Bottlenose Dolphins
11:45-12:00 Jessie Hawk Call of The Wild: The Importance of Shifting Public Opinion

3:45-4:15   Heirs 2 Our Oceans Our Water Planet, Our Cetaceans and Us
Presenters: Abi Subramanian, Arjun Subramanian, Charley Peebler, Aislinn Clark
Introduction (Abi S.)
Ocean Story (Charley P.)
Orca Intelligence (Abi S.)
Forage Fish and Cetacean Sustenance (Arjun S.)
Entanglement Issues and Cetaceans (Charley P.)
Does the MMPA Adequately Protect Marine Mammals? (Aislinn C.)
Mission (Arjun S.)
Movement (Aislinn C. and Charley P.)
H2OO Global Movement (video)
Wrap-up/Call to Action (all Heirs)

4:15-4:45   Scholar-Advocacy Panel Discussion (with all scholar-advocate speakers and Drs. Naomi Rose, Ingrid Visser and Lori Marino)
In this panel discussion, to get the conversation started the scholar-advocates will ask a specific question of Drs. Marino, Rose and Visser. Topics could range from professional development to education to advocacy to gender/orientation issues to animal welfare vs. rights and pretty much anything the scholar-advocates are interested in. We hope this exchange will be one that provides an opportunity for other young scholar-advocates to develop their talents and interests in the area of animal advocacy.


Abstracts and Bios

Until Toki is Home: Miami Seaquarium, STL Rally and Blackfish – the Children’s Book  Mariah Kirby 

Abstract: Mariah will be presenting parts of her YouTube video entitled “A day at Miami Seaquarium.. Toothless dolphins?!” in which she documented Lolita and other marine mammals at the aquarium. She will also present the turnout of Missouri’s first anti-captivity rally, which she organized and hosted at the St. Louis Arch that focused on Lolita, and finally will be discussing her self-published children’s book, Blackfish: From Planet to Park.

Bio: Mariah is a 5th year Biology Education student at the University of Missouri, St. Louis (UMSL). She will be a high school biology teacher with hopes of researching whales and dolphins in the wild during her summers off. At Superpod 5, Mariah shared her experience of how she got involved in the issue of captivity and became friends with the members of the Blackfish documentary. This year at Superpod 6, she is going to share her experience in going to visit Lolita (Tokitae) at Miami Seaquarium, hosting the first anti-captivity rally in Missouri called “Until Lolita is Home” which was one of fifteen rallies across the world, and why she wrote Blackfish: From Planet to Park, which is a children’s book based on the documentary.


The Case Against Captivity: Orcinus orca
Andrew N. Robinson

Abstract: Andrew will present a classical discourse or argument that Seaworld should release the killer whales in their parks to a seaside sanctuary. His speech will include a statement of facts, division, proof, and refutation.  His three points of proof are: the environment at Seaworld is harmful to the health of a killer whale, the environment at Seaworld causes the whales to be hyper aggressive, and the environment at Seaworld ultimately leads to the premature deaths of the whales.  I have a video recording of my thesis presentation that I would be happy to share if it would be helpful.

Bio: Hi! My name is Andrew Robinson.  I am a recent high school graduate from Westminster Academy, a small classical school in Memphis, TN. I love Killer whales with all my heart and I will be attending Mississippi College in the fall to study nursing.  I am here to deliver my senior thesis from my high school rhetoric class. At my high school we had to deliver a senior thesis in the form of a persuasive speech.  I chose to advocate for the orcas in captivity at SeaWorld. I have a passion for these animals.  I feel an incredible amount of compassion and hurt for these whales. So much so that when researching the horrors of captivity I would break down into tears. I am here not only to advocate for the orcas in captivity, but also to show that everyone has the ability to take action and make a difference. And if we come together, we can end this inhumane situation.


Walking in the Footsteps of Giants
London Fletcher
The Blue Advocates Group / Orca Research Trust NZ / Damsense.org

Abstract: London will be showing a video which gives a very brief update on her advocacy work since the last Superpod meeting, her fight to save the Southern Resident Killer Whales, and her internship with the Orca Research Trust. She will also discuss how her work with leopard seals in New Zealand inspired her to conduct her own research on the local harbor seal population in Whatcom County, Washington.

Bio: London is a 10-year-old from Washington State who has a deep regard for the ocean and marine mammals. She is probably the youngest person ever to earn an internship in cetology, which she completed with Dr. Ingrid Visser at the Orca Research Trust in New Zealand during the North American summer of 2017. London is also the youngest member of the Society of Marine Mammalogy. London advocates on behalf of chinook salmon and the critically endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales, educating the public on the plight of Southern Residents and the need to breach the lower four Snake River dams to restore wild salmon runs on the Columbia and Snake rivers.


Marine Mammal Inventory Report: A Preliminary Research on Bottlenose Dolphins
Jenny Katic

Abstract: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) maintains the Marine Mammal Inventory Report (MMIR) and updates it when it receives notifications of any acquisition, disposition, and transfers/transports from a facility. Due to the complicated design of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, this inventory report is limited to cetaceans and pinnipeds (excluding walruses) only. There are currently 6,868 individuals listed on the MMIR as of February 5, 2018; this includes live and deceased animals. There are a total of 43 different cetacean and pinniped species accounted for in public facilities. Of those listed, California sea lions and bottlenose dolphins make up the majority (69%) with 2,946 (43%) and 1,810 (26%) individuals, respectively. The focus of this exploratory study was to determine if the MMIR could be used as a reliable source for evaluating the welfare of individuals and the quality of public display industries. This preliminary research focused on one species, bottlenose dolphin. It was determined that the MMIR could, in principle, be used for statistical analyses but it requires accuracy and due diligence from the public display industry, NOAA, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services. The data, even though a federally mandated document, are often inaccurate and are missing key elements for all species listed. A full review of submitted documents is needed to clarify and correct data. Further analyses on the other 42 species listed, as well as, comparisons between species is needed.

Bio: Jenny Katic is a first year graduate student at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia pursuing her Doctor of Public Administration degree with a concentration in Environmental Policy. She previously completed her Bachelor of Arts with a major in History and minor in Sociology and Masters of Public Administration at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia. She currently works at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University as the Administrative Assistant for the Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education.


Call of the Wild: The Importance of Shifting Public Opinion
Jessie Hawk

Abstract: Jessie will be discussing the results of her survey of 50 respondents on the most effective way to change the general public’s opinion of keeping orcas in marine parks. She will present her results showing that news reports and documentaries had the largest impact (even above social media and family/friends) and discuss ways these results can be used to develop forms of media that would not only sway opinion away from supporting oceanariums and aquariums but also towards alternatives, such as seaside sanctuaries.

Bio: Jessie Hawk is a recent graduate of the University of Colorado Denver. She received a degree in Creative Writing as well as two minors: one in philosophy and one in women’s and gender studies. She is currently working on a short story collection that she hopes to eventually get published. This fall, she will be attending the University of Tampa to pursue a Post-Bac degree in Marine Biology. She hopes to get a master’s degree in marine mammalogy from the University of Miami and wants to pursue a doctoral degree afterward towards a career working with marine mammals and conservation.


Our Water Planet, Our Cetaceans and Us

thangam@heirstoouroceans.com

Heirs To Our Oceans (H2OO) is a San Francisco Bay Area youth-led organization that began in May 2016 with 10-16 year olds whose primary mission is to educate youth about the crisis facing our oceans and waterways and empower them to take action in being a part of the solutions. H2OO started a global movement and has attracted youth from as far away as the Micronesian island of Palau. A critical focus of H2OO is the education of youth beginning in the middle school years, redefining the age group of “youth”, leading to their and others’ empowerment to their informed choices. H2OO is founded on the belief that informed and empowered youth are crucial to solving the crises our oceans and waterways face.

Abstract:

The Heirs hope to use the platform at Superpod 6 to share the learnings and experiences from their journey of the past 2 years and their plans to continue this work to empower youth of all backgrounds around the world. They also look forward to sharing their youth perspective with the current generation of decision makers.

Bios:

Abi Subramanian studies the crucial role that cetaceans play as top predators in the marine ecosystem. This has led Abi to learn about the evolution of cetaceans through a naturalist course with the American Cetacean Society, understand the impact of pollution in the lives of these animals, raise awareness about cetaceans on the brink of extinction such as the Vaquita and also understand and communicate the role that these creatures play in combating climate change. Abi is also concerned about cetacean captivity, including the carnage at Taiji, and she actively protested the opening of a dolphin exhibit in the desert in Arizona. Abi is currently talking to the International Marine Mammal Project as they explore ways to stop opening the new dolphin facility in Mississippi.

Charley Peebler studies the impact of derelict fishing gear problems. Charley has learned from expert Level 4 whale disentanglers Justin Viezbicke and Pieter Folkens. She has also attended workshops about entanglement problems including at the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference in Eugene, OR, and at the 6th Int’l Marine Debris Conference in San Diego, CA. Additionally, Charley studies coral, including deep sea habitat, and advocates for their protection to ensure healthy marine ecosystems for future generations.

Aislinn Clark is focusing her research and advocacy on ocean policy and legislation with a specific interest in marine protected areas, marine mammal protection and marine pollution. Aislinn’s interest is in strengthening the Marine Mammal Protection Act and banning off-shore drilling to better protect cetaceans.

Arjun Subramanian is currently studying the issues faced by the pelagic fish due to overfishing and climate change challenges. In particular he is looking at the issues faced by the anchovy fish off the Pacific coast which provide sustenance to the marine mammals and birds of the Pacific coast and recently testified at the Pacific Fisheries Management Commission (PFMC) meeting regarding fishing limits for anchovies. Additionally, Arjun has spent the last year studying the problem of plastic pollution and the current alternatives that exist in combating this worldwide problem.

Service and Support Dogs: Welfarism versus Rights

Do we have a right to keep dogs and other animals in service for physical and emotional support? It’s a question that came to the fore in my mind at a conference at the Institute for Human-Animal Connection at University of Denver.

The theme of the meeting was “Illuminating neurodiversity in human-animal relationships,” and my own presentation was on Dolphin and Whale Brains: A Challenge for Primate-Centered Views of Intelligence.

But what took my attention most was the number of service dogs who were present.

The audience of over 500 people consisted mainly of social workers, therapists and individuals in the autism spectrum disorder community, many of whom had support dogs in harnesses by their side. The dogs were “working” and therefore couldn’t engage in petting, play or other natural activities. Instead, they each remained at the side of their “handler” and looked for any treats that might come from obeying and performing the trained tasks. Some whined and begged to go elsewhere.
The dogs’ lives were so limited by their service that they were actively being prevented from thriving.
It was difficult to ignore the inequities of such a relationship. And as the two days wore on, I began to question whether the dogs’ lives were so limited by their service that they were actively being prevented from thriving.

I was particularly struck by a presentation given by veterinarian Zenithson Ng, who talked about how anxiety and other emotional problems can be identified in support and assistance dogs and how these problems can be mitigated. He emphasized the serious responsibility handlers and family members have for attending to the welfare of the dogs. Certainly, no one in the audience could disagree that these dogs need the best care available.

But there is a fundamental premise that separates my views from those of Dr. Ng and many other people who were at the conference. I simply cannot accept that it is ethical to use nonhuman animals in this way.

The issue comes down to the longstanding welfare versus rights debate. Welfarism allows for the use of other animals to benefit humans – be it for research, food, entertainment, emotional support or whatever – while treating them kindly within the bounds of their function. Welfarism offers protections for those animals to the extent that the interests of the animals do not interfere with those of the humans. The needs and desires of the nonhuman animal take a back seat to those of the human.

A rights-based approach, on the other hand, recognizes the fundamental value and inherent entitlements of our fellow animals to have the opportunity to thrive outside of their use as a means to an end.

Service dogs and assistance dogs perform several physical and emotional tasks for the handler that can be helpful. And both dogs and people can gain from this kind of relationship. But there is real reason to doubt that they all do or that all the elements of this relationship are ethical.

I left the conference wondering whether many of the psychological tasks the dogs were charged with were either unnecessary at best, or actively hindering the emotional development of both dog and handler at worst.
There is real reason to doubt that all the elements of this relationship are ethical.
In my own field of expertise, which is to do with intelligence and self-awareness in dolphins and other cetaceans, I’ve seen the negative consequences of their use, not only as entertainment in marine parks, but also in so-called “dolphin-assisted therapy” programs for people, especially children, with autism. I have seen great damage done to both the cetaceans and the humans by this form of exploitation and in the perpetuation of the idea that other animals exist to meet our needs.

And my peer-reviewed scientific studies show that, while not exactly the same as employing service animals, animal-assisted therapies in general produce, at most, nonspecific and moderate effects which can be reproduced by objects and interventions other than live animals.

The more I learn and experience about the use of other animals in therapeutic and supportive contexts, the less comfortable I am with the ethics and the benefit of the entire enterprise.

2017: What We Did

Thank you so much for your support of the Kimmela Center this year. Our mission is to apply the best science to the work of animal protection, and here are some of the highlights you made possible this year through your tax-deductible donations.

The Someone Project

This joint Kimmela Center / Farm Sanctuary venture brings together current scientific evidence for cognitive, emotional and social complexity in farmed animals and publishes the results to the scientific community and to the general public.

Thinking-ChickensOur latest papers explore the cognitive, emotional and social capacities of chickens and cows. We conclude that chickens have a sense of self in relation to other chickens, that they learn through observing others, and that they engage in perspective-taking and deception when competing for mates.

And we note that cows have positive emotional reactions to learning, need friendships to buffer them from depression and anxiety, and are fiercely protective as mothers.

Thinking Chickens: A review of cognition, emotion, and behavior in the domestic chicken.
Download the peer-reviewed paper.
Download the white paper.

The Psychology of Cows: A review of cognition, emotion, and the social lives of domestic cows.
Download the peer-reviewed paper.
Download the white paper.

I discussed these papers in a talk I gave to kick off the annual Farm Sanctuary hoedown in Watkins Glen, New York.

Outreach for Dolphins and Whales

At conferences and colleges from Barcelona to British Columbia, we have been bringing the message of the plight of captive dolphins and whales to the scientific community, the zoo and aquarium community, the legal world, the student world, and the general public. I am heartened by the fact that students and young professionals at home and abroad want to become scholar-advocates for our fellow animals.

You can watch a video of one of these talks, to a group of students at Franklin & Marshall College, here.

Plans for Superpod 6


The scholar-advocacy program for students and young professionals at Superpod 5 in 2016 was such a success that we are doing an expanded version this year. Early details of the conference on San Juan Island, July 16-20, are here.

Legislative Efforts: Applying the Science

Ending display of captive cetaceans in Canada: In March, our team testified on three occasions to the Canadian Senate Committee on Fisheries & Oceans in Ottawa on behalf of Bill S-203, which would end keeping of captive cetaceans on display in Canada. My own testimony, available here, focused on the false claims that research with captive dolphins and whales is necessary for conservation work, and discussed our findings showing no compelling evidence that animal displays in zoos and aquariums have educational value. The bill passed through the Committee and is set to be heard by the Senate in January.

And, separately, in Vancouver: The Vancouver Aquarium is trying to overturn a Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation bylaw amendment that bans any future display of cetaceans at the Aquarium. The case was heard by the B.C. Supreme Court, and we have provided an affidavit on the scientific validity of the Park Board’s decision. We expect a decision in February.

“I Am Not an Animal!”

The Kimmela Center organized a ground-breaking two-day symposium to explore the idea that at the core of our fraught relationship with our fellow animals is the deeply-rooted psychological need to tell ourselves that “I am not an animal!”

Held in Atlanta, the event featured leaders in the fields of psychology, ecology, ethics, philosophy, law and advocacy, including Carl Safina, Hal Herzog, Sheldon Solomon and Steven Wise.

Your tax-deductible donation, large or small, will greatly help us to succeed in our mission to use the power of science to bring an end to the abuse and exploitation of nonhuman animals.

Thank you again, and have a safe and healthy New Year.

Lori Marino
Executive Director
The Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy.

Even Cows Get the Blues

Earlier this month a young bull escaped from a slaughterhouse in Brooklyn and ran for his life through the streets of NYC. He ended up two miles away in a field in Prospect Park. The bull, nicknamed Jimmy K, was taken to the Skylands Animals Sanctuary in East New York, Brooklyn.

Jimmy K’s desperate effort to live is characteristic of what all cows feel on their way to slaughter. And a new peer-reviewed paper in the journal Animal Behavior and Cognition, entitled “The Psychology of Cows” authored by Dr. Lori Marino and doctoral student Kristin Allen, provides the scientific evidence to support this conclusion.
Cows share a number of cognitive capacities with other highly intelligent species such as dogs, chimpanzees, and humans.

The authors reviewed dozens of peer-reviewed studies of cognition, emotion, personality and social behavior of domestic cows. They found that cows possess surprisingly high emotional sensitivity, including the ability to “catch” each other’s feelings. This sophisticated capacity, known as “emotional contagion,” occurs when one individual experiences an emotion by witnessing that emotion in another individual. Shown in many socially complex species, including humans, this adaptive ability to share the feelings of others allows both cows and humans to use social cues to deal with challenging situations.

In addition to their empathic qualities, cows are also deeply affected by their own emotions, resulting in a cognitive effect on decision making akin to what we call “pessimism” and “optimism.” For example, the emotional and physical pain of early separation from their mothers and dehorning – two common practices in the dairy and beef industries – can result in a negative feeling that can last for days and impact their willingness to play or take on a new challenge.

With intriguing examples based on an extensive review of the scientific literature to date, the authors conclude that “Cows lead rich and intense social lives; experience a range of emotions; and rely on one another for comfort.” For example, they:

  • ABC_Cover_Nov-2017-smShow excitement and signs of pleasure when they master intellectual challenges, suggesting that cows have a keen awareness of the consequences of their own actions
  • Differentiate between individual humans, other cows, and members of other nonhuman species
  • Possess long-term memories
  • Can navigate complex mazes
  • Love to play with objects and one another
  • Experience judgment bias, a cognitive effect on decision-making analogous to what we call “pessimism” and “optimism”
  • Experience emotions, exhibit emotional contagion, and show some evidence for feeling empathy
  • Stay calmer and less stressed when accompanied by fellow cows even during stressful situations
  • Form strongly bonded social groups, with mothers and calves sharing an especially powerful emotional connection
  • Learn from each other
  • And have distinct, individual personalities.

Dr. Marino explains:

“We have shown that cows share a number of cognitive capacities with other highly intelligent species such as dogs, chimpanzees, and humans.

“The capacities explored in this paper also emphasize the need for additional non-invasive comparative behavioral research with cows in natural settings.

“At present, the available research on cows focuses overwhelmingly on how these animals can be used to maximize the profits of farming industries. Consequently, most studies explore questions such as: “How can we make cows grow bigger bodies in smaller spaces?” and “How quickly after her calf is taken away can a mother cow be re-impregnated to maximize her efficiency?”

“We want to encourage future research to shift away from a focus on how to use cows. Until then, we hope that insight into the feeling, thinking lives of cows inspires a future in which cows are not used as commodities but, rather, celebrated for the individuals they are.”

This is the fourth paper produced with grant money from Farm Sanctuary’s The Someone Project, an endeavor aimed at using scientific evidence to raise the public’s understanding of farm animal cognition and behavior. The first three papers focused on the cognitive and behavioral complexities of fish, pigs, and chickens respectively, and generated international attention.

A white paper based on this publication is also available. Also, the paper is reviewed at Newsweek magazine.