Introduction:

Scientifics have explored the intellectual capacities of animals, their importance for the physical and emotional health of humans, its use as subjects for biomedical and psychological research. However, little attention has been involved to studying how lay people think about these types of social practices. The objective of this research was to present the results of the evaluations of social practices involving animals in entertainment, industrial production, biological and psychological research. The practices were evaluated on the following dimensions: ethics, legal, intellectual capacities, benefits for the physical and emotional health of people; and concern for their well-being.

Method:

An instrument based on a mapping sentence and composed of 28 items was responded online by 255 people, men and women with the condition of having a pet or not. Item responses were analyzed using multidimensional scaling analysis.

Results:

It is evident people’s concern for the conditions in which the animals are used particularly in people that have or has have pets.

Conclusions:

The findings are discussed on the evidence that support the mapping sentence, and on the proposal for new studies on social practices involving lay people.

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