Animal welfare science
Encyclopedia
Animal Welfare Science is the scientific study of the welfare of animals as pets, in zoos, laboratories, on farms and in the wild. Although animal welfare
has been of great concern for many thousands of years in religion and culture, the investigation of animal welfare using rigorous scientific methods is a relatively recent development.
Parliament (Thomas Wentworth) “An Act against Plowing by the Tayle, and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep
”, 1635, and the Massachusetts Colony (Nathaniel Ward
) "Off the Bruite Creatures" Liberty 92 and 93 in the "Massachusetts Body of Liberties
" of 1641.
Richard Martin's act, the "Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822
" is often considered to be the precursor of modern relevant legislation. One of the first national laws to protect animals was the UK "Cruelty to Animals Act 1835
" followed by the "Protection of Animals Act 1911
". In the US it was many years until there was a National law to protect animals - the "Animal Welfare Act of 1966" - although there were a number of states that passed anti-cruelty laws between 1828 and 1898. In India, animals are protected by the "Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
". In the UK, the "Animal Welfare Act 2006
" consolidated many different forms of animal welfare legislation.
(RSPCA) was founded in 1824 by a group of twenty-two reformers led by Richard Martin MP
(who would thereby earn the nickname Humanity Dick), William Wilberforce
MP and the Reverend Arthur Broome. The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW)http://www.ufaw.org.uk/ history can be traced to the founding in 1926 of the University of London Animal Welfare Society (ULAWS) by Major Charles Hume. The name was changed to the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare in 1938, reflecting the increasingly wide range of people and institutions involved.
More recent organisations involved in animal welfare science include the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW)http://www.scaw.com/ and university departments specialising in this branch of science including the Animal Welfare Science Centrehttp://www.animalwelfare.net.au/ at Monash University
in Australia
and the Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centrehttp://animalwelfare.massey.ac.nz/ at Massey University
in New Zealand
.
Although not limited to animal welfare science, many members of the International Society for Applied Ethologyhttp://www.applied-ethology.org/ work and publish research in this subject.
Animal welfare science can be considered as the assessment of welfare. The first paper to include the term ‘assessment” appears to be one by William Thorpe entitled The assessment of pain and distress in animals. This was followed 20 years later by a highly influential paper on assessing pain and distress in laboratory animals by Morton and Griffiths.
Several books on animal welfare science have been written, for example those by Professor Marian Stamp Dawkins
, Professor David Fraser and Professor David Mellor et al.
or physiological
measures or indicators.
wrote "The numbers of animal welfare scientists is increasing rapidly. The subject is
now being taught in all European countries and the number of university courses on
animal welfare in Brazil has increased from one to over 60 in 15 years. The
diversity of animal welfare science is increasing and the expansion is likely to
continue. The decision by the American Veterinary Medical Association to promote
the teaching of the subject in all American veterinary schools will have a substantial
effect."
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
has been of great concern for many thousands of years in religion and culture, the investigation of animal welfare using rigorous scientific methods is a relatively recent development.
Historical legislation
Early legislation which formed the impetus for assessing animal welfare and the subsequent development of animal welfare science include the IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Parliament (Thomas Wentworth) “An Act against Plowing by the Tayle, and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep
An Act against Plowing by the Tayle, and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep
An Act against Plowing by the Tayle, and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep was an Act of the Parliament of Ireland passed in 1635. It was one of the first pieces of legislation to protect the rights of animals. The act aimed to prevent cruelty to horses and sheep.-External links:*...
”, 1635, and the Massachusetts Colony (Nathaniel Ward
Nathaniel Ward
Nathaniel Ward was a Puritan clergyman and pamphleteer in England and Massachusetts. He wrote the first constitution in North America in 1641....
) "Off the Bruite Creatures" Liberty 92 and 93 in the "Massachusetts Body of Liberties
Massachusetts Body of Liberties
The Massachusetts Body of Liberties was the first legal code established by European colonists in New England. Compiled by the Puritan minister Nathaniel Ward, the laws were established by the Massachusetts General Court in 1641...
" of 1641.
Richard Martin's act, the "Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822
Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822
The Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom with the long title "An Act to prevent the cruel and improper Treatment of Cattle"; it is sometimes known as Martin's Act, after the MP and animal rights campaigner Richard Martin. It was one of the first...
" is often considered to be the precursor of modern relevant legislation. One of the first national laws to protect animals was the UK "Cruelty to Animals Act 1835
Cruelty to Animals Act 1835
The Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , which was intended to protect animals from mistreatment....
" followed by the "Protection of Animals Act 1911
Protection of Animals Act 1911
The Protection of Animals Act 1911 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It received Royal Assent on 18 August 1911.The act consolidated several previous pieces of legislation, among others repealing the Cruelty to Animals Act 1849 and the Wild Animals in Captivity Protection Act 1900...
". In the US it was many years until there was a National law to protect animals - the "Animal Welfare Act of 1966" - although there were a number of states that passed anti-cruelty laws between 1828 and 1898. In India, animals are protected by the "Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960 is federal law of India enacted to prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals and to amend the laws relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals. As per the provisions of the law the government of India formed the Animal...
". In the UK, the "Animal Welfare Act 2006
Animal Welfare Act 2006
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It is the first overhaul of pet law since the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which it largely replaced. It also superseded and consolidated more than 20 other pieces of legislation, such as the Protection of Animals Act...
" consolidated many different forms of animal welfare legislation.
Organisations
Organisations interested in animal welfare science were set up before the subject became recognised as a science. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsRoyal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a charity in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. In 2009 the RSPCA investigated 141,280 cruelty complaints and collected and rescued 135,293 animals...
(RSPCA) was founded in 1824 by a group of twenty-two reformers led by Richard Martin MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(who would thereby earn the nickname Humanity Dick), William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
MP and the Reverend Arthur Broome. The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW)http://www.ufaw.org.uk/ history can be traced to the founding in 1926 of the University of London Animal Welfare Society (ULAWS) by Major Charles Hume. The name was changed to the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare in 1938, reflecting the increasingly wide range of people and institutions involved.
More recent organisations involved in animal welfare science include the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW)http://www.scaw.com/ and university departments specialising in this branch of science including the Animal Welfare Science Centrehttp://www.animalwelfare.net.au/ at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centrehttp://animalwelfare.massey.ac.nz/ at Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Although not limited to animal welfare science, many members of the International Society for Applied Ethologyhttp://www.applied-ethology.org/ work and publish research in this subject.
Journals, articles and books
Veterinary journals carrying articles on animal welfare have been published for many years, for example, the Veterinary Record has been published weekly since 1888. Peer-reviewed scientific journals have been launched more recently, e.g. Applied Animal Behaviour Science in 1974, Animal Welfare in 1992 and the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science in 1998.Animal welfare science can be considered as the assessment of welfare. The first paper to include the term ‘assessment” appears to be one by William Thorpe entitled The assessment of pain and distress in animals. This was followed 20 years later by a highly influential paper on assessing pain and distress in laboratory animals by Morton and Griffiths.
Several books on animal welfare science have been written, for example those by Professor Marian Stamp Dawkins
Marian Stamp Dawkins
Marian Ellina Stamp Dawkins is professor for animal behaviour at the University of Oxford, where she heads the Animal Behaviour Research Group. She has published several books, one of which has been translated into German, and many peer-reviewed papers. She is considered an expert in animal welfare...
, Professor David Fraser and Professor David Mellor et al.
Methods
Animal welfare science uses a variety of behaviouralEthology
Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a sub-topic of zoology....
or physiological
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
measures or indicators.
Animal behaviour
- Occurrence of abnormal behaviours (e.g. stereotypiesStereotypy (non-human)In animal behavior, stereotypy, stereotypical or stereotyped behavior has several meanings, leading to ambiguity in the scientific literature. The terms usually refer to Stereotypy, repetitive behaviors in captive animals, particularly those given inadequate mental stimulation...
, feather peckingFeather peckingFeather pecking is a behavioural problem that occurs most frequently amongst domestic hens reared for egg production, although it does occur in other poultry such as pheasants, turkeys, ducks and is sometimes seen in farmed ostriches. Feather pecking occurs when one bird repeatedly pecks at the...
, tail-biting)
- Departure from ethogramEthogramAn ethogram is a catalogue or inventory of all behaviours or actions exhibited by an animal used in ethology. The behaviours in an ethogram are usually defined to be mutually exclusive and objective, avoiding subjectivity and functional inference as to their possible purpose.For example, a species...
of ancestral precursors
- Behaviour of captive animals upon release in a natural environment
- Preference studies
- Motivation studies
- Cognitive biasCognitive biasA cognitive bias is a pattern of deviation in judgment that occurs in particular situations. Implicit in the concept of a "pattern of deviation" is a standard of comparison; this may be the judgment of people outside those particular situations, or may be a set of independently verifiable...
studies
- Self selection of anxiolytics
- Effects of frustrationFrustrationThis article concerns the field of psychology. The term frustration does, however, also concern physics. In this context, the term is treated in a different article, geometric frustration....
Animal physiology
- Heart rateHeart rateHeart rate is the number of heartbeats per unit of time, typically expressed as beats per minute . Heart rate can vary as the body's need to absorb oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide changes, such as during exercise or sleep....
- Corticosteroids in plasma, saliva, urine, faeces, hair, feathers and eggs
- Immune functionImmune systemAn immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
- NeuorobiologyNeuroscienceNeuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
- EggshellEggshellAn eggshell is the outer covering of a hard-shelled egg and of some forms of eggs with soft outer coats.- Insect eggs :Insects and other arthropods lay a variety of styles and shapes of eggs. Some have gelatinous or skin-like coverings, others have hard eggshells. Softer shells are mostly protein....
quality
- ThermographyThermographyInfrared thermography, thermal imaging, and thermal video are examples of infrared imaging science. Thermal imaging cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum and produce images of that radiation, called thermograms...
Teaching
In 2011 in an article on the history of animal welfare science, Professor Donald BroomDonald Broom
Donald Maurice Broom, is an English biologist and emeritus professor of animal welfare at Cambridge University.Donald Broom attended Whitgift School and subsequently St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. He received his BA and MA degrees in zoology and Ph.D. degree in animal behaviour from Cambridge...
wrote "The numbers of animal welfare scientists is increasing rapidly. The subject is
now being taught in all European countries and the number of university courses on
animal welfare in Brazil has increased from one to over 60 in 15 years. The
diversity of animal welfare science is increasing and the expansion is likely to
continue. The decision by the American Veterinary Medical Association to promote
the teaching of the subject in all American veterinary schools will have a substantial
effect."