3 An introduction to animal welfarePhilip Lymbery, Director of Communications, World <strong>Society</strong> for the Protection of Animals(WSPA), London, UK.Animal welfare as a scientific discipline incorporates applied aspects of ethology, bioethics <strong>and</strong> theconcepts of suffering <strong>and</strong> well-being (World Veterinary Association 2000). Welfare, including health,has many different aspects <strong>and</strong> is defined by both the physical <strong>and</strong> psychological state of an animal,including how it feels (Webster 2003). The welfare state of an animal can be described as good orhigh if the individual is fit, healthy <strong>and</strong> free from suffering.Scientists have defined the term ‘suffering’ in animals to mean a “wide range of unpleasant emotionalstates” (Dawkins 1980) including fear, frustration <strong>and</strong> pain. ‘Pain’ has been defined as an aversivesensation <strong>and</strong> feeling associated with actual or potential tissue damage (Broom 2001; Iggo 1984).Physiological, behavioural <strong>and</strong> learning responses show that feelings of pain exist in many types ofanimal (Broom 2001), including mammals, birds <strong>and</strong> other vertebrates (Melzack <strong>and</strong> Dennis 1980).Animals may suffer due to disease, injury, fear, or the frustration of basic needs. A ‘need’ is defined asa requirement fundamental in the biology of the animal, to obtain a particular resource or respond toa particular environmental or bodily stimulus (Broom & Johnson 1993). If a need is not provided forthen there will be an effect on physiology or behaviour. One important basic need is that an animalshould not suffer at the time of its death.AN INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL WELFARE13The Five Freedoms were developed by the UK’s Farm Animal Welfare Council <strong>and</strong> are used in manycountries as a useful measure by which to assess animal welfare. Although originally devised to assesswelfare in farming systems, they can equally be applied to animals in other situations, e.g. working,companion, laboratory, entertainment, <strong>and</strong> wild animals. The Five Freedoms (FAWC 2003) are:• Freedom from hunger <strong>and</strong> thirst• Freedom from discomfort• Freedom from pain, injury <strong>and</strong> disease• Freedom from fear <strong>and</strong> distress• Freedom to express normal behaviourThe Five Freedoms are a useful ‘checklist’ by which to identify situations which compromise goodanimal welfare – that is, any situation that causes fear, pain, discomfort, injury, disease, orbehavioural distress.Welfare is a consideration of living, not dead, animals. Death is not a welfare issue in itself, althoughdeath may indicate poor welfare, for example, in the case of mortality resulting from disease.Although death itself is not a welfare issue, the manner of death is relevant. For example, the methodof killing can cause either instantaneous death, or pain <strong>and</strong> distress prior to death.
Protecting the welfare of animals involves the prevention of unnecessary animal suffering, <strong>and</strong>thereby ensuring a good quality of life <strong>and</strong> a humane death. The key difference between conservation<strong>and</strong> animal welfare is that conservation focuses on species <strong>and</strong> populations, whereas animal welfarefocuses on the individual animal <strong>and</strong> its suffering.In recent years, methodologies have been developed for assessing animal welfare scientifically (e.gFraser <strong>and</strong> Broom 1990). The scientific study of animal welfare has reached a stage of maturity atwhich firm conclusions can be drawn on whether or not an animal is suffering in particularcircumstances (Baxter 1994). Major concerns for animal welfare arise from animal husb<strong>and</strong>ry,h<strong>and</strong>ling <strong>and</strong> killing practices with low welfare potential i.e. those that fail to meet the behavioural<strong>and</strong> physical needs of the animal <strong>and</strong> thereby have the potential to cause pain or suffering.ReferencesBaxter, M.R. 1994. The welfare problems of laying hens in battery cages. The Veterinary Record (June 1994),134, 614-619.Broom, D.M. 2001. Evolution of pain. In: Pain: its nature <strong>and</strong> management in man <strong>and</strong> animals. Eds: Soulsby,Lord E.J.L. <strong>and</strong> Morton, D. Roy. Soc. Med. Int. Cong. Symp. Ser., 246, 17-25.Broom, D.M. <strong>and</strong> Johnson, K.G. 1993. Stress <strong>and</strong> Animal Welfare. Kluwer Academic Publishers14A REVIEW OF THE WELFARE IMPLICATIONS OF MODERN WHALING ACTIVITIESDawkins, M.S. 1980. Animal Suffering. London, Chapman <strong>and</strong> Hall.FAWC 2003. Farm Animal Welfare Council. London, UK. Website: www.fawc.co.uk (accessed 16th November2003)Fraser, A.F. <strong>and</strong> Broom, D.M., 1990. Farm animal behaviour <strong>and</strong> welfare (third edition). Bailliere Tindall:London.Iggo, A. 1984. Pain in Animals. Hume Memorial Lecture. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, PottersBar, UK.Melzack, R. <strong>and</strong> Dennis, S.G., 1980. Phylogenetic evolution of pain expression in animals. In: H.W. Kosterlitz<strong>and</strong> L.Y. Terenius, Eds. Pain <strong>and</strong> <strong>Society</strong>, Report of Dahlem Workshop. Weinheim: Verlag Chemie. pp. 13-26.Webster, A.J.F. 2003. In: Concepts in Animal Welfare. World <strong>Society</strong> for the Protection of Animals: London, UK.World Veterinary Association 2000. Policy Statement of the World Veterinary Association on Animal Welfare,Well-Being <strong>and</strong> Ethology. In: Concepts in Animal Welfare. WSPA: London, UK.
- Page 5 and 6: ForewordWhales are highly evolved a
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16 Summary of conclusionsModern day
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Glossary136A REVIEW OF THE WELFARE
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Appendix IIColour plates©Mark Voti
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142A REVIEW OF THE WELFARE IMPLICAT
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Figure 13. Processing minke whales