Animal welfare refers to the quality of life experienced by an animal and encompasses how well the animal is coping with his or her current situation and surroundings.  

World Animal Protection believes animal welfare is affected by the relationships human beings have with animals and it is our duty to ensure all animals are treated humanely, responsibly, and with respect.  

This includes consideration for all aspects of animal well-being, such as the Five Domains. Animal welfare should be at the forefront of every human action involving animals. 

What are the Five Domains of animal welfare? 

  • Nutrition – factors that involve the animal’s access to sufficient, balanced, varied, and clean food and water. 
  • Environment – factors that enable comfort through temperature, substrate, space, air, odour, noise, and predictability. 
  • Health – factors that enable good health through the absence of disease, injury, impairment with a good fitness level. 
  • Behaviour – factors that provide varied, novel, and engaging environmental challenges through sensory inputs, exploration, foraging, bonding, playing, retreating, and others. 
  • Mental State – by presenting positive situations in the previous four functional domains, the mental state of the animal should benefit from predominantly positive states, such as pleasure, comfort, or vitality while reducing negative states such as fear, frustration, hunger, pain, or boredom. 

Why is animal welfare important? 

Animal welfare is important because there are so many animals around the world suffering from being used for entertainment, food, medicine, fashion, scientific advancement, and as exotic pets. Every animal deserves to have a good life where they enjoy the benefits of the Five Domains. 

How does World Animal Protection work to improve animal welfare? 

World Animal Protection has a multi-pronged approach to improving the lives of animals. Our programs include protecting animals in the wild and creating a better quality of life for animals in farming. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Veterinary care

Every puppy should have their first visit to the veterinarian when they’re around three weeks old. You should expect a physical exam and testing for worms. This is also a good time to have a discussion about vaccinations and determining when to spay or neuter. These reproductive surgical procedures can be done  as early as eight weeks old . Newly adopted older dogs will have a similar first vet visit. Make sure you bring along any available health records. Many pets adopted from shelters lack a complete health history, so schedule your visit sooner rather than later. After a final round of vaccinations around four months of age, you’ll want to take your pup in for an annual check-up. Also make sure to look out for signs of health issues that may require immediate attention. Weight loss, changes in behavior, and lack of energy are all signs something might be wrong.
Read more

TAKING CARE OF REPTILES—ASSISTING THOSE WITH FROGS, TURTLES, SNAKES, AND LIZARDS

  Basics : Reptiles and amphibians are separate classes of animals, but are collectively known as herptiles. These cold-blooded creatures need habitats with heating elements to ensure proper temperature regulation. Do some research on your specific pet to choose the most appropriate type of terrarium habitat. Though some herptiles will happily chomp away on commercial pet food, many  require fresher fare . This could include fruits, veggies, insects, and small rodents. Snakes, for example, often eat chicks and mice. Ask your local pet store about what they have available and be sure to research your pet’s specific nutritional needs. Like fish, reptiles and amphibians need to have their habitats  cleaned regularly . You’ll want to do some daily maintenance, such as removing uneaten food and wiping up spills, plus a more thorough weekly cleaning. It’s a good idea to have a second terrarium on hand to make sure your pet is safe while you clean. Veterinary care : Though some mixed-animal v
Read more