Acknowledgements Book of abstracts - Publicaties - Vlaanderen.be

Chris Draper presents Poster 96 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 8: Application of welfare assessment protocols
168
Poster 96
THE ASSESSMENT OF ANIMAL WELFARE IN UK ZOOS – RESULTS
AND LIMITATIONS OF OFFICIAL INSPECTIONS
Born Free Foundation, Horsham, UK
C. Draper
UK zoos have been regulated under the terms of the Zoo Licensing Act since 1984. These
regulations do not generally stipulate quantitative standards (e.g. enclosure sizes), relying instead on
qualitative assessment of a zoo’s animal welfare standards and other mandatory undertakings by
Government-appointed zoo inspectors at periodical or licence renewal inspections (3 - 6 years).
Inspectors are expected to assess the welfare of individual animals directly, and by assessing the
animals’ environment, husbandry and zoo management. The study aimed to evaluate the results of
official inspections, to indicate the state of animal welfare in UK zoos.
Official report forms for inspections carried out between 2005 and 2007 at 120 zoos (approx. 30%
of the national total) of several types (e.g. farm parks, general collections etc.) were analysed. Zoos
failed to meet, or required mandatory improvements to attain, minimum standards for assessed
criteria (“substandard”) under broad animal welfare requirements as follows: provision of food and
water (29 zoos substandard on one or more of 8 criteria); provision of a suitable environment (52
zoos substandard, 13 criteria); provision of animal health care (74 zoos substandard, 22 criteria);
provision of an opportunity to express most normal behaviour (11 zoos substandard, 1 criterion);
and protection from fear and distress (5 zoos substandard, 3 criteria). Type of zoo was significantly
related to substandard criteria under provision of animal health care (p