ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the Zoological Emotional Scale as a framework within which to explore how people perceive emotional capacity in animals and the welfare implications of those perceptions. The four domains of the Zoological Emotional Scale are friend, foe, functional or fallacy. Members of the same species may fall into one or more domains, depending on the perception, attitudes and beliefs of the humans with whom the animals’ lives directly or indirectly intersect. These perceptions can be influenced by the visual appearance of the animal, first-hand familiarity with the animal or representatives of the species, learned attitudes about the animal or species and human cultural factors. Where an individual animal, group of animals or whole species is positioned in these domains can have implications for their perceived worthiness to receive ethical treatment. The attribution of human traits to animals through anthropomorphism is explained, and the stages of human behavioural change introduced as a mechanism through which attitude change to animal welfare can be enacted.
