Exploring antecedent factors influencing empathy for animals among veterinary students & scientists: A comprehensive study

Abstract

Empathy toward animals is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of compassionate veterinary care, essential for understanding and responding to the physical and emotional needs of animal patients. Current investigation was carried out to study the correlation between empathy scores of 50 veterinary students and 50 faculty members with their antecedents variables at Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, located in Hisar. The research aimed to examine how various antecedent factors such as age, gender, educational background, pet ownership history, belief in animal cognition, religious beliefs, economic motives, vegetarianism, conscientiousness, and extraversion relate to empathy levels in these personalities. It was observed that belief in animal mind, gender was positively and significantly correlated to level of empathy with animals. Students in later years showed lower level of empathy. This study highlighted the need for further exploration into how veterinary education impacts empathy levels among both veterinary students and scientists.