Doing good by proxy

Human-Animal Kinship and the 'Donation' of Canine Blood

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2249236
AutoresVanessa Ashall (0000-0002-5263-2339, Centre for Applied Bioethics School of Veterinary Medicine and Science University of Nottingham, autor de correspondencia), Pru Hobson-West (0000-0001-6105-0747, Centre for Applied Bioethics School of Veterinary Medicine and Science University of Nottingham)
Año2017
Volumen39
Número6
Páginas908-922
Fecha de publicación2017-07-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociology of Health & Illness (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0141-9889 • E-ISSN: 1467-9566
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-9566.12534
PMID28164318
OpenAlexW2556289268
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas29

This article demonstrates the relevance of animals to medical sociology by arguing that pet owners' accounts of veterinary decision-making can highlight key sociological themes which are important to both human and animal health. Based on semi-structured interviews, the article argues that interspecies 'kinship' allows for the extension of sociological claims regarding altruism, self-interest and mutuality from human blood donation to companion animal blood 'donation'. Furthermore, this study extends sociological understanding of the human-animal bond by showing how the dog's status as kin meant they were expected to donate blood, and that the act of donation itself represents an important opportunity for family 'display'. However, owners who do not or cannot donate blood themselves describe pet blood donation as an opportunity to lessen associated feelings of guilt or obligation through 'doing good by proxy'. These findings raise critical sociological and ethical questions concerning the risks and benefits of donation, and for how we understand third-party decision making. Finally, the article argues for the close entanglement of human and animal health, and concludes that sociologists of health and medicine should explore the radical possibility that decision-making in healthcare more generally might be influenced by experiences at the veterinary clinic, and vice versa. (A Virtual Abstract of this paper can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_979cmCmR9rLrKuD7z0ycA

Altruism (biology · Blood donor · Donation · Feeling · Kinship · Obligation · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Anthropology · Blood donation and transfusion practices · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Law · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology