What Would Miffy Do? Applying Informed Consent by Proxy to All Sentient Animals.

Area of Science:

• Animal Ethics
• Bioethics
• Animal Welfare Science

Background:

• Ethical considerations in research necessitate taking sentient non-human animals' interests seriously.
• Informed consent is a standard ethical requirement for human participation in scientific studies.
• Non-human animals cannot provide the same level of informed consent as mentally competent humans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore methods for obtaining consent for the use of non-human animals in research.
• To adapt the concept of informed consent for sentient non-human animals.
• To identify practical approaches for respecting animal autonomy in scientific experiments.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual exploration of consent mechanisms applicable to non-human animals.
• Application of consent principles to the context of animal experimentation.
• Proposing proxy consent from informed human representatives as a primary method.
• Incorporating animal assent and dissent signals where feasible.

Main Results:

• Full informed consent, as understood in human research, is not directly achievable with non-human animals.
• Proxy consent, where a thoroughly informed human makes decisions on behalf of the animal, is a promising approach.
• Seeking assent and actively monitoring for dissent are crucial complementary strategies.

Conclusions:

• Respecting the interests of sentient non-human animals in research requires innovative consent models.
• Informed consent by proxy, coupled with attention to animal assent/dissent, offers a viable ethical framework.
• This approach advances ethical standards in animal experimentation.