The Vegan Society’s new Empathy Index is launched today to mark World Day for the End of Speciesism on 31 August
The research found that the top 5 most unacceptable forms of animal use are considered to be dog fighting, bull fighting, fox hunting, animal testing for cosmetics and hunting animals using traps. The vast majority of the public felt similarly about these issues, with 94% of respondents believing watching dog fighting to be unacceptable and 84% thinking that testing cosmetic ingredients on animals is wrong.
The most divisive issue was shown to be riding an elephant, with an even split between those believing it to be unacceptable and those believing it to be acceptable. Another form of animal use that proved to be contentious was racing, with 45% of people surveyed saying that horse racing is unacceptable and 55% saying that greyhound racing is unacceptable. This reveals a shift in public opinion towards compassion, since according to a YouGov survey in January 2023, a smaller proportion of people (38%) opposed horse racing than do now.
The survey reveals interesting data on a number of other issues, including fashion. Despite the prevalence of leather items in the UK, the Empathy Index shows that 41% of people think that wearing items made from cow skin is unacceptable. Interestingly, many more respondents were opposed to wearing fur: 71%. This reflects previous research from The Vegan Society in which 37% of respondents believed leather to be cruel, and almost three-quarters (74%) stated they would be willing to pay more for plant-based leather compared to animal leather.
Discussing the Empathy Index, Claire Ogley, The Vegan Society’s Head of Campaigns, Policy and Research said:
“We’re really pleased to launch our brand new Empathy Index, the first to comprehensively measure public attitudes towards many different kinds of animal use in fashion, sport and entertainment. It’s clear that some views are changing over time, possibly as a result of high profile cases of animal abuse. The results are very revealing, for example the difference in public acceptance of wearing leather versus wearing fur, and why we consider some animals more valuable than others, despite the cruelty inherent in both processes. The Index will be a fantastic tool going forward, helping us to track public sentiment about different kinds of animal use over time, and encouraging a shift towards compassion for animals in all areas of life.”
Read what the public thought about 27 different kinds of animal use and take The Vegan Society’s quiz to see how your opinions compare to the wider public here: www.vegansociety.com/empathy-index
