Assessing Animal Welfare
Components of Welfare*
1. Animal Bodies (gestation stalls vs. group
housing)
– Health, disease, growth, reproduction, etc.
2. Animal Minds (anesthesia for castration)
– Pleasure, pain, etc.
3. Animal Natures (nest building materials)
– Natural conditions, natural behaviors, etc.
*Mike Appleby, 1999, What Should We Do About Animal Welfare?
Prospective determines weighting
• People engaged in raising animals and
veterinary medicine tend to weight the
component of animal bodies relatively more.
• People not engaged in raising animals put
relatively more weight upon animal minds
and animal natures.
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Discussion Assignment
1. Review responses to questions as well as
other relevant points raised in the text.
2. Identify relationship between your assigned
reading and one or more of the components
of welfare (Bodies, Minds or Natures).
3. Identify one or more way(s) in which your
group feels companion animal welfare could
be improved (related to your text reading).