Population Medicine- Animal Welfare

Block 2

Animal Welfare Assessment Overview

• critical component of an institutions’ animal program

• examining the animals in their environment

• requires knowledge of species-specific welfare indicators

• employ established protocols and/or tools to ensure a comprehensive assessment

Why conduct animal welfare assessments?

• ethical obligation

• societal concerns

• advances in scientific understanding

• improves performance and productivity

• legislative change

• financial/economic reasons

How is animal welfare assessed?

• traditional animal welfare assessments/audits (ie. five freedoms)

• animal welfare frameworks (ie. three schools, five domains)

• research methods (ie. preference testing, cognitive bias testing, novel object testing)

What are the three schools/circles?

1. Biological functioning

2. Natural living

3. Affective states

What are the five domains?

1. nutrition

2. physical environment

3. health

4. mental state

5. behavioral interactions

Resources available to guide assessments

• laws and regulations

• industry standards

• scientific research papers and review

• input from stakeholders, industry members, and animal welfare scientists

What individuals conduct welfare assessments?

vets, scientist, industry reps

Who conducts regulatory assessments?

• USDA

• ODA

Voluntary Animal Welfare Assessments

• third party, independent organizations

• voluntary participation

• no regulatory power

• often more specific and stricter than regulatory requirements

• standards updates are easier and more frequent

Reasons to participate in voluntary animal welfare assessments

• meet current best practices for industry

• “social license to operate”

• exemption from certain regulations

• economic incentives

• eligibility to participate in industry programs/associations

• distinguish from others in industry

• staff and community pride

Role of veterinarian in voluntary animal welfare assessments

• preventative health programs

• disease investigation, diagnosis & treatment

• consultation on husbandry, nutrition, enrichment, behavior, ect

• consultation on inspection results

Voluntary Program Examples

• Certified humane (animal production)

• Animal welfare approved (animal production)

• AAALAC (animal research)

• Canine care certified (companion animal breeding)

• American humane “no animals were harmed” (entertainment)

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums

• Zoological association of america

• Alliance of marine mammal parks and aquariums

• Humane conservation

Challenges in Animal Welfare Assessments

• Disagreements and discrepancies

• respect the dedication, time and effort of the animal care staff

Creation of livestock care standards

• November 2009 - State issue 2 passed - established the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board which is charged with creating state standards for the care and well-being of livestock in Ohio

Ohio Revised Code vs Ohio Administrative Code

ORC - laws that have been passed by the state legislature

OAC - rules passed by the various state agencies

Rules established by OAC

• Euthanasia

• Civil penalties

• General considerations

• Ambulatory disabled, non-ambulatory disabled or distressed livestock

• Veal

• Dairy cattle

• Beef cattle

• Swine

• Poultry layers, broilers and breeders

• turkey and turkey breeders

• sheep, goats, alpacas, and llamas

• equine species

Factors considered by the livestock care board-

• best management practices for the care and well-being of livestock

• biosecurity

• prevention of disease

• animal morbidity and mortality data

• food safety practices

• protection of local affordable food supplies for consumers

• generally accepted veterinary medical practices, livestock practice standards, and ethical standards established by AVMA

Responsibility for ensuring these livestock care standards are being kept falls on the person who owns or has responsibility for or custody of the animals

Does not apply to

animals used in agricultural, biological or biomedical research or food processing production activity that is regulated by the department of agriculture under title IX

LSC vs Cruelty laws

enforced independently

ODA enforces LCS and local law enforcement is responsible for enforcing animal cruelty laws

What is cruelty?

every act. omission, or neglect by which unnecessary or unjustified pain or suffering is allowed to continue when there is a reasonable remedy

Violation vs compliance

violation- need to change

compliance- trying to work with them

Minor vs major violations

Minor- due to neglect or unintentional acts of substandard practices which do not place the animal in imminent peril, cause protracted disfigurement, cause protracted impairment

Major- place an animals life in imminent peril, cause protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of health, protracted loss or impairment of the function of a limb or bodily organ