Abstract
Clearly defined concepts help to formulate (new) research hypotheses and direct animal welfare research. Scientists often address a limited range of aspects which only inadequately deal with the multivariate and multidimensional nature of animal welfare (Rushen, 2003). Conceptual approaches towards animal welfare from different angles may help to direct attention to relevant aspects of this issue that might be overlooked if only one view were used, i.e. they may help to extend our manner of assessing and improving animal welfare (Fraser, 2008).
We propose a Dynamic Animal Welfare Concept (DAWCon), which incorporates this aspect and may extend/supplement other welfare concepts, such as the ’Five Domains‘ (e.g. Mellor, 2017) or the ‘Five Freedoms’. Our framework revolves around the concept of the (limit of) adaptability of an animal and the combined actions/effects of constitutional or sporadic adverse extrinsic and internal factors and defines welfare as a state that the animal perceives as positive. In comparison to other welfare concepts, our concept explicitly distinguishes between:
• the capacities and abilities of an animal to deal with its environmental appetitive and aversive conditions;
• sporadic and constitutional influences, i.e. distinction between appetitive and adverse factors that have short term effects on animal welfare, as opposed to factors that have long term effects on animal welfare. Solutions for improving effects of sporadic adverse factors that impair animal welfare may be different from solutions for improving effects of constitutional factors;
• intrinsic and extrinsic factors, where appetitive and adverse intrinsic factors most likely are constitutional. Extrinsic factors are in the majority of instances under stronger control of the owner.
All these elements can be identified and distinguished as separate parameters in animal welfare research and help to formulate exact research questions and hypotheses.
We propose a Dynamic Animal Welfare Concept (DAWCon), which incorporates this aspect and may extend/supplement other welfare concepts, such as the ’Five Domains‘ (e.g. Mellor, 2017) or the ‘Five Freedoms’. Our framework revolves around the concept of the (limit of) adaptability of an animal and the combined actions/effects of constitutional or sporadic adverse extrinsic and internal factors and defines welfare as a state that the animal perceives as positive. In comparison to other welfare concepts, our concept explicitly distinguishes between:
• the capacities and abilities of an animal to deal with its environmental appetitive and aversive conditions;
• sporadic and constitutional influences, i.e. distinction between appetitive and adverse factors that have short term effects on animal welfare, as opposed to factors that have long term effects on animal welfare. Solutions for improving effects of sporadic adverse factors that impair animal welfare may be different from solutions for improving effects of constitutional factors;
• intrinsic and extrinsic factors, where appetitive and adverse intrinsic factors most likely are constitutional. Extrinsic factors are in the majority of instances under stronger control of the owner.
All these elements can be identified and distinguished as separate parameters in animal welfare research and help to formulate exact research questions and hypotheses.
Original language | English |
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Pages | 19-20 |
Number of pages | 2 |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2019 |
Event | 14th Annual Meeting of the Ethologische Gesellschaft - University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany Duration: 6 Feb 2019 → 8 Feb 2019 https://www.tiho-hannover.de/fileadmin/user_upload/tiho_hannover/kliniken_institute/33_zoologie/Downloads/Etho2019/Abstractbook_End.pdf |
Conference
Conference | 14th Annual Meeting of the Ethologische Gesellschaft |
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Country/Territory | Germany |
City | Hannover |
Period | 6/02/19 → 8/02/19 |
Internet address |