Veterinary Sciences, UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, UCD School of Public Health and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Equine Vet J. 2010 Mar;42(2):105-13. doi: 10.2746/042516409X471458.
Significant potential threats to the health and welfare of horses exist in Ireland when supply exceeds demand and the identification system for horses is not yet robust.
To secure engagement with stakeholder groups and determine their perception of equine welfare in Ireland and encourage the development of inclusive, rather than imposed, policy solutions.
A 3 round, web-based Policy Delphi incorporating novel vignette methodology was conducted from November 2007-March 2008 to canvass opinion (in both quantitative and qualitative forms) on the perceived most significant equine welfare issues. Vignettes (narratives depicting potential compromise to equine welfare) were employed. Quantitative data were collected in the form of scoring on a 9 point Likert scale with labelled end-points, qualitative information as text subsequently analysed for themes.
All 44 respondents completed all rounds. Major equine welfare issues were identified as welfare of horses during the disposal process and at unregulated gatherings. Assessed quantitatively on a 9 point Likert scale (0 = minimal; 8 = maximal), respondents scored the desirability and feasibility of improving standards, median 8 and 6, respectively, for both issues identified. Basic themes identified in respondents' quotes as reasons to raise equine welfare standards were ideological, protection of animal welfare, safe-guarding the reputation of the equine industry and safety (of people, horses and environment). Themes for reasons for low standards were societal norms, fiscal pressures, indolence, indifference and ignorance. Themes underpinning potential means for achieving meaningful change (solutions) were legislation, enforcement, education/training, fiscal remedies, increasing awareness and a combination of these.
Mechanisms aimed at raising standards must be based on an understanding of motivational drivers for currently low standards.
The challenge is to translate the findings and this heightened awareness into meaningful change to the benefit of horses and those who care for them.
在爱尔兰，当供应超过需求且马匹识别系统尚不完善时，马匹的健康和福利存在重大潜在威胁。
争取利益相关者群体的参与，确定他们对爱尔兰马匹福利的看法，并鼓励制定包容性的政策解决方案，而不是强加的解决方案。
从 2007 年 11 月至 2008 年 3 月，采用三轮基于网络的政策德尔菲法，结合新颖的案例描述方法，征求利益相关者对马匹福利问题的意见（包括定量和定性形式）。案例描述（描述对马匹福利产生潜在影响的叙述）被采用。定量数据以 9 点李克特量表的形式收集，标记有端点，定性信息以随后分析主题的文本形式呈现。
所有 44 名受访者都完成了所有轮次。主要的马匹福利问题被确定为在处置过程中和不受监管的集会中马匹的福利。在 9 点李克特量表上进行定量评估（0 = 最小；8 = 最大），受访者分别对改善标准的可取性和可行性进行评分，中位数分别为 8 和 6，针对确定的两个问题。受访者在提高马匹福利标准的原因的引述中确定的基本主题包括意识形态、保护动物福利、保障马匹行业的声誉以及人员、马匹和环境的安全。标准低的原因主题包括社会规范、财政压力、懒惰、漠不关心和无知。实现有意义变革（解决方案）的潜在手段的主题包括立法、执法、教育/培训、财政补救措施、提高认识以及这些措施的组合。
旨在提高标准的机制必须基于对当前低标准的动机驱动因素的理解。
挑战在于将这些发现和这种提高的认识转化为对马匹和关心马匹的人的有意义的变革。
