Lecture 5 - Animal Welfare

Question 1

What are Animal Rights?

Answer 1

• the concept that some or all non-human animals are entitled to
• the possession of their own lives
• most basic interests should be afforded the same consideration as similar interest of humans

Question 2

What is Animal welfare?

Answer 2

References to how an anima is coping with the condition in which it lives

Question 3

A good state of welfare (by science) for an animal means it is…

Answer 3

• healthy
• comfortable
• well nourished
• safe
• able to express innate behavior
• not suffering from unpleasant states

Question 4

How is welfare measure?

Answer 4

5 freedoms of animal welfare

- established by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1979

Question 5

What are the 5 freedoms>

Answer 5

Freedom from Hunger and Thirst 
Freedom from Discomfort 
Freedom from Pain, Injury or disease
Freedom to express Normal Behavior 
Freedom from Fear and Distress

Question 6

How do you measure freedom from hunger and thirst?

Answer 6

• ready access to water and a diet to maintain health and vigor
• feed and water quantity
• feed and water quality

Question 7

How is freedom from discomfort measured?

Answer 7

• providing an appropriate environment including shelter and comfortable resting area
• shelter
• comfortable resting area

Question 8

How is freedom from pain, injury and disease measured?

Answer 8

• prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment

Question 9

How is the freedom to express normal behavior measured?

Answer 9

• provide sufficient space, proper facilities and appropriate company of animals’ own kind

Question 10

How is the freedom from fear and distress measured?

Answer 10

• ensuring condition and treatment which avoid mental suffering
• fear
• distress
• suffering
• pain

Question 11

How do we measure animal welfare as a whole?

Answer 11

• biological welfare
• natural living
• affective states

Question 12

How do we measure biological functioning?

Answer 12

Performance (growth rate, age, productivity)

Immunity ( health status, disease prevalence, resiliency)

Question 13

How do we measure affective states?

Answer 13

1. Use physiological/behavioral measurements to indirectly assess states
2. Utilize preference and motivation of the animal to “tell” us how they feel

• motivation/preference

Question 14

What are the 4 approached to measuring motivation?

Answer 14

1. Give animal the control over its environment and assess its choice
2. Use presence testing to examine what an animal prefers
3. Create tasks that requires effort from the individual and see how hair it is willing to work
4. Deprive an animal of a resource and observe it for signs of frustration