Ethical Implications of the Human-Animal Bond in the Laboratory

This analysis of the moral implications of a human-animal bond in a research setting begins by describing a set of criteria that delineate the human-animal bond in general and form the foundation on which moral issues rest. Questions about if, when, and how such bonds are formed are discussed briefly; the discussion focuses on how the concept of a human-animal bond fits into standard moral theories. The conclusion is that impartial theories such as utilitarianism and deontological theories must be supplemented with an ethics of caring and that the moral duties engendered by the human-animal bond are best identified with such a supplemented theory.