History and functioning of ethology: ethograms and functional circuits, including territorial behavior, sexual behavior, socialization, aggression, order of precedence; Influence of domestication on behavior; ontogeny of behaviour; coping strategies; learning theories; classical and instrumental conditioning.
Animal ethics: deontological and utilitarian ethics of animals, animal law concepts, reference systems of ethical reasoning (contractualism, empathy, socio-biology, sense of justice), cruelty to animals and animal killing, veterinary ethics, animal ethics and politics. - Animal protection law: historical and current concepts of animal welfare legislation, crimes and offences, proportionality (reasonable reason), collective right to file an action, animal advocate, animal protection ombudsman, animal welfare officer, guarantor position, right to life, emergency killing indication, euthanasia, animal experimentation law, alternative methods (3R).)
10 to 12 anonymised animal welfare cases from veterinary offices. In group work, students develop strategies to deal with a series of frequently encountered offences against the law of animal welfare. The results will be presented by Students during the seminar and discussed with official veterinarians.
An elective compulsory course - supplementary to the theoretical foundations from the lecture. Practical knowledge of the following shall be imparted: knowledge pertaining to the most frequently used animal species in laboratory experiments - namely rats and mice, practical exercises in the handling, housing, identification and transport of animals, application and sampling techniques, assessment of behaviour patterns as an indication of animal well-being (and potential suffering) and in humanely destroying laboratory animals according to relevant animal welfare regulations. For every two students, there is one mouse and one rat for use. Together with the theoretical foundations from the lecture and the practical exercises from the elective compulsory course for laboratory animal science, students acquire a proof of expertise so that they are able to collaborate in scientific projects on laboratory animals. In an advanced course, skills pertaining to FELAS B recommendations (Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science - Category B course), including hygiene concepts, laboratory animal handling measures as well as experiment planning and application procedures shall be imparted.
