Welfare Definitions, Concepts & Frameworks Flashcards
1
Q
What is animal welfare based on?
A
Whether we believe it is sentient or not
2
Q
Define sentience?
A
Having the awareness and cognitive ability necessary to have feelings
3
Q
Why is welfare different to most other sciences?
A
It focuses on the individual animal
4
Q
Why is it hard assume an animals experience?
A
They have different sensory capacities to humans
They’ve evolved to different environments to humans
They have different behavioural properties to humans
5
Q
Because we cannot assume animals experience something the way humans do what does this mean?
A
That non-human animals will suffer in a situation which humans would enjoy and vice versa.
6
Q
To say what is good welfare we need evidence to decide what?
A
How we keep animals
How we treat animals
How we look after animals
How we monitor whether or not the welfare is good
7
Q
Evidence of good welfare can then be used to change what?
A
Societal views Policy Practices Teaching Legislation Monitoring/assurance
8
Q
Why is it hard to get enough scientifically useable evidence of good welfare?
A
Welfare is based on an individual organisms internal experience
9
Q
What 3 viewpoints do welfare definitions usually fall into?
A
Functioning
Feeling
Natural living
10
Q
Which welfare viewpoint does the earliest welfare research usually fall into?
A
Functioning
11
Q
Because animal welfare was being developed in a scientific environment what happened?
A
This meant that unless someone could measure the “thing” that it doesn’t exist.
So for animal welfare they needed to be able to measure welfare
12
Q
What did functioning researchers measure to measure welfare?
A
Biological aspects they believed reflected an animals welfare state.
13
Q
What is Broom’s 1991/1998 definition of functioning?
A
The welfare of an animal is its state as regards to it’s attempts to cope with the environment
14
Q
What did Broom mean by state?
A
How much energy/effort an animal must invest in something to allow it to cope with environmental challenges and whether or not the coping mechanism worked
15
Q
What does Broom mean by welfare?
A
How much effort an animal invests in overcoming environmental challenges and whether the coping mechanism works
16
Q
What is the the second part of Broom’s functioning welfare viewpoint definition?
A
The state includes how much it [the animal] is having to do to cope, the extent to which it is succeeding in or failing to cope, and it’s associated feelings
17
Q
What is Broom’s full functioning welfare viewpoint definition?
A
The welfare of an animal is its state as regards to it’s attempts to cope with the environment. The state includes how much it is having to do to cope, the extent to which it is succeeding in or failing to cope, and it’s associated feelings.
18
Q
What does Broom define as coping?
A
Having control of mental and bodily stability
19
Q
Broom’s functioning definitions are based off of what?
A
A conceptualisation of welfare as a homeostatic approach
The animal is at a neutral state and the environmental challenges alter the animals state
The animal will then use/develop coping mechanisms to try and regain its neutral state
20
Q
What did Broom believe would reflect the animals inability to adapt to a challenge?
A
The animal can’t cope
The animal needs to invest lots of energy to the coping mechanism
21
Q
What did Broom later relate an animals coping ability to?
A
An animals fitness
22
Q
What does Broom mean by fitness
A
The animals ability to pass on it’s genes to the next generation
23
Q
If maintenance of bodily and mental stability was too hard or failed then what does Broom say will happen?
A
Then there would be an associated impairment in a biological function that can be measured
24
Q
In functioning inadequate adaption compromises what?
A
Welfare
25
What are the 5 problems with functioning?
1) Welfare assessments are based on the understanding of biological mechanisms and there outcome, however there are some things we don't understand about biological mechanisms.
2) Functioning methods assume that measures are a proxy for fitness which is hard to do
3) Functioning also assumes animal feelings are aligned
4) Functioning welfare evidence is gathered measuring marker associated with autonomic responses, however autonomic responses could be associated with both positive and negative situations instead of just one context
5) Functioning is a theory based around measuring alterations in the animals homeostasis however it's hard to decide what degree of disturbance to the animals homeostasis is bad welfare.
26
What are the 2 measurements used in functioning to determine an animas welfare?
Changes in biological processes that underpin the adaption/coping mechanism
Outcomes of unsuccessful adaption
27
What are the 4 examples of the functioning measure "changes in biological processes that underpin the adaption/coping mechanism"?
Body repair systems
Immunological defence
Physiological stress responses
Behavioural responsees
28
What are the 3 examples of the functioning measure "outcomes of unsuccessful adaption"?
Reduced growth efficiency
Reduced reproduction
Poor health
29
Around what era did the feelings welfare viewpoint come about?
80s and 90s
30
How did Duncan and Petherick define the feelings viewpoint?
Animal welfare is dependent solely on the mental, psychological and cognitive needs of the animals concerned
31
Do physiological state matter to feelings researchers?
No
| If an animal is in a bad physiological state they could still be in a good welfare state
32
Do feelings theorists believe that poor welfare can exist without poor health?
Yes as seen with some psychological conditions like anxiety and depression
33
What do feelings researchers argue that the physical state of an animal will be
Associated with how the animal feels
Or
Irrelevant
34
What do feelings researchers measure?
Only the animals emotional state
35
What do feelings researchers believe in terms of affective states?
Subjective affective states evolved to motivate behaviour in a more flexible way than stimulus: response situations
36
What are the 3 problems with feelings theory?
1) They ignore animal health as they believe that feelings and physical health are aligned
2) It's limited by our understanding affective states
3) The ideology is limited by measurements of affective states/emotions.
There's no well defined affective state and some emotions are debated to exist in some animals
37
What did Dawkins do?
She tried to join feelings and functioning theories together.
38
What does Dawkins define welfare as?
Are the animals healthy? Do they have what they want?
39
Does Dawkins believe we should measure consciousness?
No she believes we should look at the animals behaviour to rewarding and punishing experiences
40
How does Dawkins define affective states?
As what the animal finds rewarding or punishing
| You'll look for the animals want
41
Why does Dawkins recognise the importance of physical health?
Because animals will not always choose for their long term benefit
42
What are the 4 ways Dawkins believes we can test for the animals perception?
Preference tests
Motivation tests
Cognitive bias
Physiological measures
43
Who created the natural living welfare viewpoint?
The philosopher Bernard Rollins
44
Natural living focuses on understanding animals through their what?
Genetically encoded nature (there telos)
45
What does the natural living viewpoint mean by telos?
An ultimate object or aim
Basically all animals have an intrinsic nature that's expressed in their actions and we should be looking at these actions when providing welfare
46
How does natural living see good welfare as?
Good welfare is seen as allowing the animals to express normal/natural behaviour
47
How does Rollin's see animal welfare?
"to promote welfare of animals, we need to raise them in ways that respect their nature's"
48
Does the natural living viewpoint believe you must provide a natural environment for the animals?
Some people would argue yes
49
Would the natural living approach include concerns on whether or not an animal is able to do something that would be considered natural?
Yes
50
Does a behaviour need to be linked to biological function, fitness, or mental state for natural living researchers to want it to be expressed?
No
51
In natural living philosophy telos requires what?
Meeting needs and interests that matter to the animal and affect its feelings by virtue of its biological and psychological nature
52
Some natural living researchers believe that expression of natural behaviour is key and what may be needed?
A natural environment
53
What are the 6 problems with the natural living philosophy?
1) Natural living ideologies of welfare are hard to define as it's hard to define telos
2) Natural living assumes that full behavioural repertoires are necessary but does not take account for adaptions to different environments
Not all behaviours are necessary
3) Domestic animals have been artificially selected altering their genetics and so altering the animals genetically coded nature
4) Natural living ideologies does not take into account that natural environments may offer poor welfare
5) Some natural behaviours are designed to help animals cope with challenges which may indicate poor welfare in the environment
6) Natural living ideology does not provide rigorous basis for measuring welfare as this ideology is based on provision of a natural environment only
54
What's a positive of natural living philosophy?
Natural living ideologies are better in terms of drawing attention to potential welfare benefits if the animals can engage in natural behaviour
55
Are welfare frameworks the same as concepts?
No
56
What are welfare frameworks useful for considering?
What we need to measure to be able to address particular welfare concepts comprehensively
Welfare frameworks are used to decide what to measure so you can get enough evidence to support your concept/theory
57
Name a classic example of a welfare framework?
The 5 freedoms
58
When was the 5 freedoms welfare framework created?
In 1965 after the Bramble Committee report on intensive farming
59
Who needs to follow the 5 freedoms welfare framework?
It's a basic requirement for farmers
60
What are the 5 freedoms in the welfare framework?
1) freedom from thirst and hunger
2) freedom from discomfort
3) freedom from pain, injury and disease
4) freedom from fear and distress
5) freedom to express normal behaviour
61
The 5 freedoms welfare framework was originally to be as free as possible from the freedoms but what is it now?
Completely free from the 5 freedoms
62
What are 2 negatives of the 5 freedoms welfare framework?
It's impossible to completely prevent the 5 freedoms.
Examples are animals naturally get hungry and can injure themselves
The 5 freedoms only focus on preventing negative experiences and don't ensure positive experiences
63
What do welfare frameworks do?
They indicate what we need to aim for and consider to avoid poor welfare
They can sometimes promote good welfare and so can be useful for monitoring
63
What do welfare frameworks do?
They indicate what we need to aim for and consider to avoid poor welfare
They can sometimes promote good welfare and so can be useful for monitoring
64
In 2006 what happened to the 5 freedoms welfare framework?
It was modified under the UK Animal Welfare Act to the 5 needs. This made the 5 needs enforceable by law.
65
What are the 5 Needs under the UK Animal Welfare Act 2006?
1) the animal has a suitable environment to live in
2) the animal has a healthy diet
3) the animal is able to exhibit normal behaviour
4) the animal has appropriate company
5) the animal is to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease
66
What are the 2 negatives to the 5 needs?
The 5 needs only focus on negative experiences like the 5 freedoms so don't encourage positive experiences
The 5 needs are only as good as the state of current knowledge
67
Who created the Welfare Quality Principles welfare framework?
The Welfare Quality Project
68
How did the Welfare Quality Project create the Welfare Quality Principles?
They generated welfare assessments protocols across a range of species
69
What are the 4 Welfare Quality Principles?
1) Good feeding
2) Good housing
3) Good health
4) Appropriate behaviour
70
What are the 2 criteria for the "good feeding" Welfare Quality Principles?
1) Absence of prolonged hunger
| 2) Absence of prolonged thirst
71
What are the 3 criteria for the "good housing" Welfare Quality Principles?
1) Comfort around resting
2) Thermal comfort
3) Ease of movement
72
What are the 3 criteria for the "good health" Welfare Quality Principles?
1) Absence of injury
2) Absence of disease
3) Absence of pain induced by management procedures
73
What are the 4 criteria for the "appropriate behaviour" Welfare Quality Principles?
1) Expression of social behaviours
2) Expression of other behaviours
3) Good human-animal relationships
4) Positive emotional states
74
In 2016 Mellor created what?
The 5 domains
75
What are Mellor's 5 domains based off of?
The 5 freedoms
76
How did Mellor adapt the 5 freedoms into the 5 domains?
Mellor expanded on the 5 freedoms making them prescriptive about what they should include
77
What are the 2 main domains Mellor split the 5 domains into?
1) Physical/Functional Domain
| 2) Affective Experience Domain
78
What are the 2 types of factors Mellor's Physical/Functional Domain is split into?
1) Survival-Related Factors
| 2) Situation-Related Factors
79
Name the 3 domains that fit under Mellor's Survival-Related Factors?
1) Nutrition
2) Environment
3) Health
80
How is positive Nutrition met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Enough water and food
| Balanced and varied diet
81
How is negative Nutrition met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Restricted water and food
| Poor quality food
82
How are positive Environments met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Physical environment comfortable and pleasant
83
How are negative Environments met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Uncomfortable or unpleasant features of the physical environments
84
How is positive Health met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Healthy, fit and/or uninjured animals
85
How is negative Health met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Disease, injury and/or functional impairment of the animal
86
Which of Mellor's 5 domains fits under Situation-Related Factors?
Behaviour
87
How is positive Behaviour met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Able to express rewarding behaviours
88
How is negative Behaviour met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
Behavioural expression restricted
89
Which of Mellor's 5 domains fits under their Affective Experience Domain?
Mental state
90
How is positive Mental State met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
```
Drinking pleasures
Taste pleasures
Chewing pleasures
Satiety
Physical comfort
Vigour of good
Health and fitness
Rewards
Goal-directed
Engagement
Calmness/in control
Affectionate sociability
Maternally rewarded
Excited playfulness
Sexually gratified
```
91
How is negative Mental State met according to Mellor's 5 domains?
```
Thirst
Hunger
Malnutrition malaise
Chilling
Overheating
Hearing discomfort
Breathlessness
Pain
Debility/weakness
Nausea, sickness
Dizziness
Anger/frustration
Boredom
Helplessness
Loneliness
Depression
Anxiety
Fearfulness
Panic
Exhaustion
```
92
What are Mellor's 5 domains?
1) Nutrition
2) Environment
3) Health
4) Behaviour
5) Mental State
93
Are physical States seen as the base of Mellor's 5 domains welfare framework?
Yes followed by behavioural states
94
Which of Mellor's 5 domains overarched the other domains and why?
Mental state
| The other domains alter and affect the animals mental state
95
Is Quality of Life a welfare framework?
No it's a welfare concept
96
Does the quality of life concept tell us what to measure?
No
97
What does quality of life conceptually say?
It's not good enough to prevent negative experiences, we need to promote positive experiences for the animals as well
98
Quality of life also introduced what concept?
Animals in different sectors need different quality of life
| Examples are pets Vs farm animals
99
What is Wathes definition of the quality of life concept in 2010?
To ensure quality of life, animals must have a life worth living and should have a good life
100
What are the 2 arguments quality of life puts forth?
Prevention of negative states is not enough
That we may need to accept different degrees of welfare for different animals
101
How has the World Health Organisation defined Human quality of life?
Individuals perception of their positions in life in the context of culture and the value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns
102
How did Belshaw et Al define quality of life for animals?
An individual's satisfaction with its physical and psychological health, it's physical and social environment and its ability to interact with that environment
103
What did Belshaw et al 2015 mean by "an individual's satisfaction"?
The fulfillment of one's individual needs or positive mood or valence derived from this
104
What did Belshaw et al 2015 mean by "physical and psychological health"?
The state of being free from illness or injury
105
Why is it hard to measure quality of life for the animals entire life?
It focuses on the individual experiences of that animal
106
How do you measure quality of life?
By, very carefully, describing and making assumptions about how those things relate together
107
Is being dead a welfare issue?
No but it can be a ethical/moral issue
108
What part of death is important in a welfare perspective?
The manner of death
109
Why is death important for people following the function welfare definition?
Death has implications for an animals ultimate fitness
110
What does Yeats's 2010 paper argue
Death may be a welfare issue based on the removal of the capacity for future good quality of life
111
Why is death important in a function perspective?
Death is the ultimate fitness failure and so death is a welfare issue
112
How have philosophers argued death as a welfare point?
You lose the potential of future good quality of life
113
What is the argument that philosophers need to make to defend their viewpoints on welfare and death?
You need to also believe that the animal is aware of the future good quality of life it will lose while alive before death
114
In practice what concepts are used to assess the animals welfare as comprehensively as possible?
Functioning
Feelings
Natural living
Quality of life
115
What is used to assess the concepts correctly?
Welfare indicators
116
What is a definition of a welfare indicator?
Any measurable external resource or aspect of an animals biology, that we hypothesize to signify different animal welfare states
117
What do you need to ensure when using a welfare indicator?
That it's valid
