The Science of Animal Welfare

Download or read book The Science of Animal Welfare written by Marian Stamp Dawkins and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2021 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In many people's eyes, the ability for animals to be able to behave 'naturally' is essential for their welfare. However, animals do not necessarily want to do behaviour just because it is 'natural' or is seen in wild animals. Being chased by a predator is not necessarily good for welfare. Natural behaviour is important because it gives us a baseline for what animals might want to do but it cannot define good welfare on its own. It has to be validated in exactly the same way as other behavioural correlates of welfare, as either contributing to health or being what the animals want to do.