Introduction

What is animal welfare? This question cannot be answered by a simple definition as there are many varied opinions on the matter. In general, however, it can be said that animal welfare is the notion that animals under the responsibility of humans deserve the best care that can be given and that all attempts should be made to provide as high a quality of life as possible. In the case of domesticated animals, such as pets and farm animals, this means that they should be given commensurate nutrition, health care, living space, etc. for their circumstance; avoiding any kind of unnecessary suffering is the cornerstone of animal welfare.

Issues in animal welfare arise mainly in agriculture, sport and recreation (including zoos), and the greatest number probably involve livestock, whether they are utilized for food, or as sources of power in developing countries. Farm animals are particularly vulnerable to questions of welfare since they are handled in large numbers: the more numerous the animals are, the less they can be treated as individuals in the attention they receive.