An animal welfare science approach

Donald M. Broom

Chapter 2 in Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Animal Law, 2025, pp 4-7 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: It is now widely accepted that a sentient being is one that has the capacity to have feelings, and all vertebrate animals, cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans are sentient. There is only one biology for all living species, and as such, the same words should be used for processes that occur in a range of species, including humans, not separate words when the process is in humans or non-humans. The welfare of an individual is its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment, and includes feelings and health. When measurements show the intensity of good or poor welfare, the duration of the positive or negative period is a relevant and important measurement to make. Prolonged pain is clearly worse that briefer pain. A key component of the sustainability of food production and many other human actions is the welfare of animals used by humans or affected by those actions. There is now much more scientific information about this welfare, and it is important that such information is used in formulating and enforcing the relevant laws that are required by the public.

Keywords: Animal welfare; Sentience; Needs; Sustainability; Welfare assessment; One biology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781803923666
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