Choice, control, and animal welfare: definitions and essential inquiries to advance animal welfare science

The ways in which humans can support good welfare for animals in their care is an ongoing subject of debate: some place emphasis on the animals’ physical health; others, on animals’ ability to live “natural lives”; and others on animals’ affective states or psychological wellbeing. Recently, there h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inFrontiers in veterinary science Vol. 10; p. 1250251
Main Authors Englund, Maisy D., Cronin, Katherine A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Frontiers Media S.A 02.08.2023
Subjects
affective states
agency
animal welfare
choice
control
psychological wellbeing
Veterinary Science
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Summary:The ways in which humans can support good welfare for animals in their care is an ongoing subject of debate: some place emphasis on the animals’ physical health; others, on animals’ ability to live “natural lives”; and others on animals’ affective states or psychological wellbeing. Recently, there has been an increase in interest in how an animal’s ability to exercise control over its environment could impact their welfare. In this article, we take the stance that the relevant aspects of the first two concepts of animal welfare (physical health, natural lives) are largely addressed when an animal’s psychological wellbeing is prioritized. Through that lens, we review the current state of the literature regarding the psychology of control, and the intersection between choice, control, and welfare. We clarify terms to support future work, and propose future directions that could lead to a better understanding of the psychological benefits of choice and control and ultimately inform animal care decisions.
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Reviewed by: Damiano Cavallini, University of Bologna, Italy
Edited by: Serenella D’Ingeo, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy
ISSN:2297-1769
2297-1769
DOI:10.3389/fvets.2023.1250251