It has been suggested that grazing horses could be used as a credible tool for landscape conservation which would, at the same time, improve horse welfare as opposed to conventional housing. A study was conducted between May 2014 and April 2015 on 12 one year old Gotland ponies managed extensively without supplementary feed. Monthly animal welfare assessments (n = 13) revealed welfare issues in most of the horses, i.e. low body condition score (BCS < 3/5), recurring poor skin condition in 11/12 horses and ocular discharge in 7/12 horses. At the end of the study, compared to the beginning, chafing and poor skin condition increased while coat condition improved. A correlation was found between a negative reaction (score > 0) in the human approach test and BCS < 3 and ocular discharge. Avoidance Distance test values were correlated with faecal parasite counts (> 350 eggs per gram [EPG]). These results indicate that the horses had acceptable welfare during late spring/summer (May–September) and that some horses required additional feed during winter. The animal welfare protocol proved to be an efficient tool for monitoring welfare. The results showed that factors important for extensive management are: daily monitoring; enclosures that provide sufficient feed; access to recovery enclosure; and habituation of horses to human approach.

Over the last twenty-five years, Norway has given priority to research to improve hunting methods for Minke whales. This has resulted in an increase in the instantaneous death rate (IDR) from about 17% in the early 1980s to about 80% today, and, thus, in a considerable decrease in the time to death (TTD) (Øen 2003). TTD data have been collected by official veterinary inspectors on board Norwegian whaling vessels and reported annually to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) since 1983. Estimates of TTD have been based, predominantly, on the ‘criteria of death in whales’ that were established at an IWC workshop in 1980 (IWC 1980). These criteria in principle require complete immobility, ie a whale can only be pronounced dead if it has stopped moving, the jaw and flippers have slackened, and it is sinking passively. However, as early as 1995 the IWC agreed (IWC 1995) that the criteria were incomplete and sometimes misleading, as they did not allow for reflex movements and seizures that occur in the unconscious state after an animal is stunned. This phenomenon is well-known from the slaughter of domestic animals (for review, see eg Knudsen 2005). The IWC identified a need for a more reliable method of determining the time of onset of permanent insensibility in whales (IWC 1995) and in particular asked for research investigating in detail the trauma, and its consequences, caused by hunting methods.

The implantation of new biomedical devices into living animals without any previous toxicity or biocompatibility evaluation is possible under current legislation. The HET–CAM (Hen Egg Test–Chorionallantoic Membrane) test offers a partially immunodeficient, borderline in vitro/in vivo test system that allows the simulation of transplantation experiments to obtain biocompatibility data prior to animal testing. A collagen type I/III scaffold, designed for tissue regeneration, was tested for angiogenetic properties and biocompatibility patterns. A significant angiogenetic stimulus caused by the collagen scaffold material was observed. Altering biocompatibility patterns by incubation with the potentially hazardous chemicals acridine orange and ethidium bromide led to severe vessel thrombosis and a foreign body tissue response. CAM testing of biomaterials and tissue engineered products allows selection of the most suitable biomaterial and the elimination of unsuitable materials from animal experiments, leading to a refinement of testing procedures and a reduction in the number of animals required for biocompatibility testing.

In a series of experiments the welfare of para-aminovalerophenone (PAVP) sub-lethally poisoned rats (Rattus norvegicus) was assessed. The experiments: (i) examined the acute methaemoglobin (MetHb) profile over time; (ii) refined the LD50 estimate for PAVP in adult female rats; (iii) developed and validated three neurological tests; and (iv) assessed rats for neurological deficit following prolonged methaemoglobinaemia. The results from the first three experiments were used to refine the sub-lethal study. In the sub-lethal experiment 20 rats were gavaged with a single dose of 40 mg kg−1 PAVP (based on an LD50 estimate of 43.3 mg kg−1). Control rats (n = 10) were treated with the carrier only. Eleven (surviving) PAVP-treated rats and controls were assessed over a two-week period. Rats were tested for forelimb grip strength, stability on an inclined plane and the ability to remove tape wrapped around a forepaw in order to determine deficits in motor functions and sensorimotor integration. Signs of recovery began 3-6 h post-dosing, with all animals showing no outward signs of poisoning within 48 h, and over the 14-day post-treatment monitoring period they gained weight and increased their food consumption. There was no significant overall difference in performance between PAVP-treated and control rats in any of the three neurological tests. In the inclined plane test, performance of sub-lethally PAVP-poisoned rats appeared to be temporarily impaired with treated animals slipping at a lower angle than controls on day two. During the tape removal test, four PAVP-treated rats failed to remove the tape within the 3-min time limit on one occasion each (4/77 occasions) up to seven days post-dosing. The severity and duration of signs following acute sub-lethal PAVP poisoning appeared to be lower than those reported for existing rodenticides. It is likely that the results presented in this study extend to other MetHb-inducers.

Kite flying is a popular hobby and sport for children and adults. Despite being illegal in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, the use of abrasive threads remains widespread and poses a health risk to both humans and animals. In this study, we analysed the records of 462 magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) submitted to rehabilitation centres or found dead along the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro state from October 2016 to August 2020. Of these, 244 individuals (52.8%) presented wing lesions consistent with kite-string injury, which can have a critical impact on the ability of frigatebirds to fly and will ultimately cause their death. Even when veterinary care is provided, only a small proportion of the individuals (2%) will fully recover the ability to fly in order to be released back to the wild. In 2020, an atypical increase in the number of individuals with kite-string injuries (~1,200% increase compared to other years) was noted in the weeks following the suspension of school activities and commerce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of frigatebirds with kitestring injuries recorded in a given week was positively correlated with internet searches for kite-related terms, which also peaked during the quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. This illustrates how pandemic events may aggravate existing human-wildlife conflicts, and how preparedness plans need to incorporate measures to help communities cope with boredom and isolation during quarantine in ways that do not negatively impact the welfare and conservation of wildlife.

A survey was undertaken to evaluate how animal discomfort, pain, suffering and distress are recognised and assessed in UK scientific procedure establishments. In total, twenty-eight establishments were visited between 1999 and 2001 and 137 people participated, including animal technicians, veterinarians and scientists. The full results, conclusions and recommendations of the survey have been published elsewhere (Hawkins 2002). The study showed that people are concerned about animal suffering, want to be able to prevent and alleviate it, and are aware that there are a number of practical problems that need to be overcome. These include animals concealing clinical signs, which leads to difficulties in detecting incipient discomfort and distress, and human subjectivity when assessing animals. The clinical signs used as indicators of potential pain, suffering and distress are largely subjective. Participants at all establishments agree that a ‘team’ approach to animal monitoring is the best way to ensure consistency and effectiveness. All twenty-eight establishments use clinical observation sheets to assist with animal assessment and monitoring, nine also use score sheets and seven use computerised data management systems. This paper concludes with recommendations based on the survey findings, with respect to monitoring techniques, assessment protocols and training issues, which aim to facilitate more effective animal assessment and monitoring.

The impact of behavioural disorders on animal welfare in modern animal husbandry has been much debated. While other abnormal behaviours have been explored at length, there are a paucity of studies on tail-biting in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In the present study, severe tail lesions were observed in group-reared rabbit does on a commercial rabbit farm. In the subsequent investigations, the occurrence of tail lesions in 219 rabbit does from nine batches was compared between group- or singlehousing and a scoring system recording the severity of tail lesions was developed and verified. This five-grade scoring system was applied to evaluate the progression of prevalence and severity of tail lesions in 21 groups during rearing in two batches. The results revealed a significant difference in the score level between housing types with a higher prevalence of injured tails in group- (60.4%) compared to single-reared (4.0%) does. An increase in severity and frequency of tail lesions was observed in groups during the course of a rearing period. Furthermore, the established scoring system was characterised by adequate observer reliability. Overall, tail injuries occurred on a regular basis in the investigated rearing groups, indicating tail-biting to be a prevalent problem. This could be considered relevant in terms of animal welfare, both for the animal doing the biting and the individual being bitten. The findings draw attention to an inadequately described problem in rabbit husbandry. However, the search for preventive measures needs to scrutinise the role of single-housing, without failing to consider the gregarious nature of rabbits.

While the zoological community strives to provide the best possible living environment for non-human animals, space limitations constrain where zoos can house particular species. Therefore, an individual may live in proximity to animals that impact its behaviour, physiology, reproductive function or overall welfare status. This article examines how solitary and social species living in managed settings are positively and negatively affected by conspecific neighbours. When making housing decisions, zoos should follow husbandry recommendations outlined by zoo associations, integrate natural history information and attempt to view the environment from the perspective of the species of interest. Furthermore, researchers can collect survey, behavioural and physiological data to examine how variables, such as density, distance between neighbours, the age/sex of conspecifics and types/amount of exposure to others influence welfare. Ultimately, zoos should consider the needs of individuals and investigate whether welfare can be enhanced by modifying enclosures, husbandry routines, enrichment schedules or access to conspecifics. A zoo's willingness to alter an animal's exposure to conspecifics may have a substantial impact on physical, mental and emotional health.

It is not sufficient to merely publish regulations and strictly control them to improve the living conditions of farm animals. The farmer must receive precise information, understand the individual measures and be able to act with personal responsibility. A new animal welfare law has been in force in Austria since the 1st of January 2005. A system of self-evaluation is being developed for putting these new legal requirements into practice. The aim of this self-evaluation system is to enable every farmer to personally check his animal housing system against the given standards. This independent work motivates the farmer and makes him aware of animal welfare issues. This new strategy for the implementation of animal welfare law was originally developed, tested and found to be successful by the Federal Administration of the Austrian Province of Vorarlberg. Self-evaluation is to be carried out by means of specific checklists and manuals. Checklists and manuals are currently being drawn up for cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep and goats. The checklists and manuals will include all of the requirements of Austrian animal welfare legislation and will be formulated in easily understandable questions with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. The manuals will describe the methods for assessing legal requirements on the farm as well as the conditions for compliance with legislation, and give advice on how to improve the state of animal welfare on the farm. This paper gives an example of the self-evaluation system for cattle farming.

The role of New Zealand's national Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) is to advise the Minister of Agriculture on all matters relating to the welfare of animals. Under its current mission ‘to facilitate the development of animal welfare policy and practice for New Zealand’, one of NAWAC's tasks is to advise on areas requiring further research. In their Annual Report for 1999 (published June 2000) NAWAC identified 21 specific areas for further research. These include the following:

There is growing interest in exploring the cognitive abilities of animals, but the number of species studied is still very limited. Here, we would like to suggest that the domestic dog offers a very good example for investigating animal cognition.

The literature available to schools on animal experimentation in the biomedical sciences has increased both in quantity and quality over the last few years. Organizations which support animal experimentation and the animal welfare/anti-vivisectionist societies have put much effort into preparing clear and attractive, well-argued booklets on the cases for and against the use of animals for scientific purposes.

People's awareness of livestock welfare has increased in recent years and veterinarians have a critical role to play in maintaining and improving these standards. The aim of this study was to explore the attitude of veterinary students to livestock welfare and an online questionnaire was utilised to gauge the opinions of students from the Bursa Uludag University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Turkey. A five-point Likert scale covered judgments ranging from ‘Strongly disagree’ to ‘Strongly agree.’ Female students were found to have a higher score for questions related to the welfare of livestock than males. It was also found that students yet to undertake courses in clinical science and animal welfare, ie first and second years, gave higher scores than third, fourth and fifth years who had completed both of these. Moreover, students having owned or dealt previously with livestock provided lower animal welfare scores than their counterparts who had done neither. Seemingly, the sensitivity of veterinary students decreases during the latter stages of their education. To conclude, we suggest further investigation into the extent to which veterinary medicine education influences students’ attitudes to animal welfare as they progress through the course.

The development of animal welfare science has had a fundamental influence on the development of public policy towards the treatment of animals, not only in individual countries such as the United Kingdom, but also within the institutions of the European Union. This has led to a new a body of legislation which is intended to promote welfare and to complement the traditional prohibition on causing cruelty. If this process is to continue, however, it is important that conducting research should not be regarded as the sole function of animal welfare scientists. It is essential that they are also fully engaged in ethical debate, policy formulation, regulatory mechanisms, and their enforcement.