What is animal welfare?
In 1789, philosopher and professor of Law, Jeremy Bentham, famously argued that it was the ability to suffer and not the ability to reason or to talk that should be the benchmark for decisions relating to how we treat animals.
“The question is not, Can they reason?, nor Can they talk? but, Can they suffer? Why should the law refuse its protection to any sensitive being?”
– Bentham (1789) – An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.
Even though it may sound strange to some people, it is becoming more widely accepted that animals are sentient and feel negative emotions like stress, fear and pain; as well as positive emotions like happiness and pleasure.
Early scientists believed that animals were machines and should be viewed and used as such. Now, animals play a huge part in our lives, whether we realise it or not, they provide food, draft power, medical advances, clothing, sport, pleasure, companionship, protection and comfort, yet often their quality of life is questionable. In many cases, we were able to improve the welfare of the animals you have seen, but sadly, sometimes this was not always possible.
Animal welfare is a very challenging subject area, and when researchers investigate animal welfare from a scientific and objective perspective, they often have to study animals in conditions which may be distressing in order to provide evidence to persuade people to change things for the better.
There are lots of images and videos online that show rabbit welfare problems, including: mental stress leading to abnormal behaviour, images of animals under-going medical examinations and images of animals in different production and captive environments all around the world. by educating people in animal welfare we all hope that by raising awareness of the issues we can make a huge difference to animals all over the world.
Why does animal welfare matter?
Animals are vital for human welfare, we share our lives and homes with them, they give us companionship and help us remain healthy. They even are a food source, and provide medical advances by using them in research.
We make a lot of assumptions about animals and what we believe they want and feel, and we all have emotive opinions about how animals should be treated.
Even though they help us in many ways, what’s in it for them? Many animals would not be alive if we didn’t give them a home to live in, regular food and water, a clean bed, healthcare and mental stimulation.
Animal welfare is making sure animals eat healthily, live in a safe environment, have mental stimulation and are able to move and play as they would naturally. It is being nice to animals and looking after them and making sure they feel safe and happy.
It is about making animals as comfortable as they can be so they are free from stress, pain, illness or limit the amount of illness and act on it quickly.
Animal welfare is the respect of animals and treating them how you would like to be treated.
Animal welfare can be quite controversial, especially with polarised views that can sometimes be extreme. It is important to understand that it is these views that influence our behaviour, and we need to be more subjective if we are to fully understand and tackle global animal welfare issues. As an example, some people believe that it is wrong to kill any animal. Others believe that all animals should have the same legal rights as all humans. Others view animals according to their usefulness in medical research, or for consumption.
Most of the international animal welfare legislation governing the use of animals as food or for medical purposes is based on the justification of cost-benefit analysis, which is a process used to measure the benefits of a decision compared to the costs that will be incurred, or put simply a pros and cons list.
Animal welfare is a topic where most people have something to say about it. Their opinions are firmly held on their beliefs, culture and traditions, rather than actual evidence. By sticking to the scientific approach of discussing animal welfare issues provides an objective way of making decisions about animals and what matters to them. By taking emotion out of the argument, and by providing evidence from research, we can start to understand the situation from the animal’s point of view.
More than 60 billion land animals are raised for meat and other products each year, and now that the population of the world is estimated to rise to 9 billion by 2050, there will be an ever increasing need for animal products. This will lead to more animals being farmed to make affordable products.
We recognise that in countries where pet ownership is common, people have an appreciation for the link between animal welfare and human well-being, and the understanding that animals have needs and feelings and that these things should matter in civilised society. Conversely, in countries where pet ownership is at a minimum, and animals are viewed as cultural or religious property, for consumption or financial benefits, there are increasing numbers of stray animals that are leading to serious concerns over their welfare and the fact that they spread zoonotic diseases like rabies, and this often leads to cruel practices to remove the unwanted animals.
Animal welfare is a complex issue that has connections to public,scientific, ethical, economic and political areas. Being able to objectively view it through science and research, we can understand what needs to be done with different species in a vast range of different environments and therefore make it an international priority.
In legal terms, what is cruelty exactly?
Go To Court says:”Animal cruelty is generally defined as an act or omission that contributes to an animal experiencing, or being likely to experience, unreasonable or unnecessary pain or suffering.”
They go on to say: “The offence of animal cruelty is outlined in section 9(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTA) and is punishable by a fine of up to $40,297.50 or 12 months’ imprisonment (or a fine of up to $96,614 for a corporation).” They say that POCTA lists actions and behaviours that constitute cruelty, and they are as follows:
- Deliberate cruelty (including wounding, mutilating, torturing, overriding, overdriving, abusing, beating, worrying, tormenting or terrifying an animal);
- Improper loading, crowding or confining;
- Causing or endangering pain or suffering;
- Failing to provide proper and sufficient food, drink or water;
- Failing to provide treatment (being the owner or person in charge of a sick or injured animal and unreasonably failing to provide veterinary or other appropriate treatment for the animal).
When it comes to aggravated animal cruelty, which is also outlined in POCTA, prohibits a person from committing an act of cruelty which results in the serious disablement or death of an animal. The maximum penalty is a fine of $80,950.00 or two years’ imprisonment (or a maximum fine of $193,428.00 for a corporation).
What is animal welfare?
Animal welfare can mean different things to different people. Even though it is being used by business, consumers, veterinarians, politicians and organisations, in some parts of the world animal welfare has no meaning at all, nor can it be translated into their language.
There are huge differences in opinion in relation to what is acceptable, and it appears to be defined in terms of how the animal is used, how it is viewed in society, and the interests and purpose of the person who is doing the defining. This is where the differences of opinion arise, because whomever is using the animal will have different opinions about how it should live. This leads to tensions.
These differences are also found in scientific definitions of welfare. Some researchers focus on physical well-being, others on the natural lifestyles, and others prefer to consider the psychological state. To properly define what animal welfare is, we first have to agree on what it is. Most agree is that animal welfare is a state or condition that changes depending on the animal’s experience and its ability to deal with the challenges it may face at any given time.
Animal scientists have become increasingly concerned about animal feelings. By realising how an animal feels in its situation is the most important consideration when discussing animal welfare. This assumption suggests that animals are conscious and capable of experiencing negative sensations and emotions and is the core of most people’s concern about animal welfare.
The term animal sentience has been increasingly used in animal welfare, and this has been accepted by pet owners, scientists, animal producers, and policy makers. Animals are sentient. That means they can experience positive and negative emotions such as pain, fear, happiness and pleasure. This is an important development for animals all over the world.
This has lead to the realisation that animals have needs and feelings of their own, and if this is not satisfied, the animals are likely to suffer.
Animal welfare science helps us address concerns about animal welfare through their eyes. By using this approach, animal welfare will become a universal language, one that transcends culture, religion and language, and and ensures that the truth about animals and their welfare cannot be disputed.
The Five Freedoms
You may have heard about the Five Freedoms when it comes to animals and their welfare. These Five Freedoms are used by scientists to assess animal welfare.
Quick history lesson
Back in 1964, Ruth Harrison, a British woman wrote a book called “Animal Machines”, which intensively described the livestock and poultry farming practices of the time. There was a huge outcry from the public regarding the information in the book, that it made the British government appoint a committee to look into the welfare of animals. In 1965, the committee, lead by Professor Roger Bramble, presented an 85-page report called “Report of the Technical Committee to Inquire into the Welfare of Animals Kept under Intensive Livestock Husbandry Systems”, which became known as the Bramble Report. The report stated that animals should have the freedom “to stand up, lie down, turn around, groom and stretch their limbs”. These became Bramble’s Five Freedoms.
In the early 1970’s the Farm Animal Welfare Council (now Committee) was created in response to the report. In 1979, the Five Freedoms had been redefined as:
- Freedom from hunger and thirst: by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor.
- Freedom from discomfort: by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease: by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
- Freedom from fear and distress: by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
- Freedom to display natural behaviours: by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.
The Five Freedoms are used as a basis of animal care protocols and expectations for many professional groups worldwide, including veterinarians, World Organisation for Animals Health and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. However, they do have benefits and some limitations, for example, you will notice that the first four are negative, they are freedoms from something, while the fifth one, the freedom to display natural behaviour, is a positive. This mismatch can make the Five Freedoms difficult to use.
Also, the Five Freedoms can’t really be applied to companion and wild animals. For example, all wild animals have the ability to display their natural behaviours, but we can still affect their welfare in the other ways. So, do the Five Freedoms apply to them in the same way as they do for pets? For this reason, scientists have come up with other ways of assessing animal welfare, like the Animal Welfare Action Plan, in Victoria, Australia. Other states in Australia have their own Animal welfare regulations.
Animal Welfare Action Plan
The is “Victoria’s first-ever Animal Welfare Action Plan — Improving the Welfare of Animals in Victoria.”. The action plan clearly states “Animals are an important part of Victoria. They are part of Victoria’s homes, farms, sport, recreational businesses and activities, natural state (including forests and waters), research and essential services. Animals also play an important role in Victoria’s economy, employment and trade. ” and therefore they are spending time to create “governance and laws that safeguard and improve animal welfare in Victoria.”
To do that, they released and collated many articles, specifying the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (POCTA) Act 1986, reforming Victoria’s animal care and protection laws, animals used in research and teaching, and guidelines on how to look after domestic pets.
The animal we are looking at, for obvious reasons, is the rabbit.
The government released lots of information about rabbit welfare, best practices and how to provide the best lifestyle for your rabbit.
Guidelines for keeping pet rabbits
Animal Welfare Victoria, a government body connected to Agriculture Victoria, clearly specifies what is regarded as best care practices for domestic and pet rabbits, they say:
A rabbit should have a suitable environment to provide:
- protection against climate extremes
- an appropriate diet and water
- protection from pain and suffering
- freedom of movement
An adult (18 years or older) must be the primary carer of your rabbit. It should be recognised that rabbits are not suitable pets for children under 8 years of age. For children 8 years and older, an adult should be the primary carer of the rabbits.
Space allowance recommendations
Single rabbit
| Animal weight (kg) | Min. floor area (cm2 per animal) |
|---|---|
| <2 | 2000 |
| 2-4 | 4000 |
| 4-6 | 5400 |
| >6 | 6000 |
Group of rabbits
| Animal weight (kg) | Min. floor area (cm2 per animal) |
|---|---|
| <2 | 1300 |
| 2-4 | 2600 |
| 4-6 | 3300 |
| >6 | 4000 |
| Female and litter | 9300 per female + litter |
Both of these tables have been adapted from Code of Practice for the housing and care of laboratory mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits
Indoor/outdoor housing, bedding
- Flooring should be constructed and maintained to minimise injury or distress to rabbits.
- Material should be a solid non-absorbent board and cover no less than 0.1㎡ of the total floor space (or ⅓ of the total floor area in each cage).
- Use a plastic base or something that is easy to clean and disinfect.
- Wooden or absorbent surfaces are not recommended.
- Clean and disinfect floor regularly.
- Wire mesh floor is not recommended.
- Rabbits need protection from predators at all times.
- When housed outside, they need a large hutch which is safe from predators (cats, dogs, foxes). This should be insect (mosquito) proof and protect rabbits from extreme weather.
- Position the hutch so it is also protected from weather (on a verandah or deck). The hutch should be waterproof, sturdy, easy to clean and raised off the ground.
- Do not use a metal hutch or shed as overheating can occur. Rabbits are prone to heat stress. The hutch should be put in a shed during winter months in cold climates. The space allowance for housing rabbits outdoors is the same as for indoor housing.
- Bedding must be clean and dry.
- hay
- straw
- untreated/kiln dried pine wood shavings
- A hay tray with good quality hay should be provided and changed daily.
- Electrical switching should be of a non-sparking safety design or must be outside the animal holding area.
Exercise
Rabbits need a minimum of 4 hours daily exercise each day. Exercise for rabbits consists of hopping, running, jumping on and off raised areas and doing ‘binkies’ (jumping into the air and twisting their head and body in opposite directions).
Rabbit runs should be as large as possible to encourage the rabbits to perform the full range of exercise behaviours. Runs should provide:
- appropriate platforms
- tunnels and hidey holes
- outside access to grassy areas
- sheltered areas
- space for them to be alone
Outdoor exercise areas should be rabbit-proofed to prevent escape.
Temperature
The recommended temperature range is 10 to 25°C. Outdoor hutches should be covered with a blanket or carpet on cold nights (taking care not to block ventilation). Indoor living areas should be in a cool, non-drafty room out of direct sunlight.
Hygiene
It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the rabbit’s environment is clean and hygienic. Only good quality, pet friendly disinfectants should be used for cleaning. Thoroughly rinse off and dry the hutch before the rabbit is returned.
The living area should be cleaned daily or as often as needed so your rabbit has a clean healthy environment.
Cleaning should include:
- removal and replacement of wet and dirty bedding
- removal of uneaten fresh foods
- cleaning of water and food containers
Clean the toilet area daily. Use good quality hay in the toilet area. This can be provided in a litter tray to help with containment and cleaning. One hay tray per rabbit is recommended.
Run areas should be rotated or cleaned regularly.