Animal Rights Attitudes Among Veterinary Students: Associations with Sociodemographic Characteristics

This cross-sectional study examined general animal-rights attitudes among veterinary students and their associations with sociodemographic characteristics. A voluntary classroom survey was conducted among 400 students at Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Türkiye, in May 2026. Students completed a sociodemographic form and the Animal Rights Attitude Scale in Turkish. Following item analysis, two items were excluded, and the resulting 30-item score was analyzed in 354 students with complete scale responses. Female students and pet owners had higher attitude scores in unadjusted comparisons. In the multivariable analysis, which included 352 students with complete outcome and predictor data, sex, class year, and place of residence were associated with attitude scores. Pet ownership was not statistically significant after adjustment, and some findings were sensitive to influential observations. The findings suggest that general animal-rights attitudes vary across student characteristics, but do not establish causal relationships or changes during veterinary education. The scale does not directly measure preferences for specific stray-animal management practices. The single-faculty design and exclusion of incomplete scale responses limit generalizability. Multicenter and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the relationships observed.