Animal welfare is the processes and steps taken to ensure a good quality of life for animals. It also means that steps need to be taken to prevent animal suffering or unsatisfactory living conditions. This term is commonly mistaken for animal rights, which is a completely different area. Animal rights means that animals have their own rights, including being able to live and prosper without the interference of human involvement. Animal welfare requires three states that maximize their quality of life, and they are outlined by using the five freedoms.
The three states that are required for good animal welfare conditions are physical state, mental state, and naturalness. Physical state is the health of the animals, and immediate care for beginning symptoms or injuries. The mental state of an animal includes the ability to live without being in fear or having any anxiety. The final state is naturalness, which is basically the ability of an animal to conduct their natural routines and to carry out the tasks that their natural instincts demand that they accomplish.
The states required for appropriate animal welfare can be ensured by simply following the list of five freedoms that have been provided by numerous welfare groups from around the world. The first is the freedom from any hunger or thirst by providing adequate amounts of food and water. The second freedom is that the animal by free from discomfort. The third is the freedom from pain and injury by being kept in a safe environment free from obvious harmful factors. The freedom from fear and anxiety is also an important aspect of animal welfare and can be accomplished by allowing the animals plenty of room to move around and ensuring that their basic needs are met. The final aspect of the five freedoms is to allow the animal to express their own specific natural behaviors.
Animal welfare covers various different states that allow an animal to live a good quality life without any suffering. The five freedoms ensure compliance to these three states, and many different organizations offer advice and steps to follow to ensure animal welfare. The United States Department of Agriculture offers this type of information, as well as the Animal Welfare Institute and the Animal Welfare Society. All three of these sites offer a wealth of information and knowledge to increase worldwide education of animal welfare and the importance of it.
References:
Animal Welfare Institute at http://www.awionline.org/
Animal Welfare Society at http://www.animalwelfaresociety.org/
United States Department of Agriculture found at http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=3