The idea of animal welfare - developments and tensions

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This paper focuses on developments and tensions within the idea of animal welfare. There is divergence among those who believe in the idea of animal welfare. First, we discuss what it takes for farm animal welfare to be good enough. How far should society go beyond the starting point of the Brambell Committee, which was to prevent avoidable suffering? Secondly, we turn to the tricky question of how welfare should be distributed between animals. Here, a tension within the concept of animal welfare, between a focus on the indivudual animal and on the herd, flock or shoal, is pointed out. Finally, the role of economic considerations is considered, given that animal production takes place in a global market with free trade between countries with various standards of animal welfare.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationVeterinary & animal ethics : proceedings of the First International Conference on Veterinary and Animal Ethics, September 2011
EditorsChristopher M. Wathes, Sandra A. Corr, Stephen A. May, Steven P. McCulloch, Martin C. Whiting
Number of pages13
PublisherWiley-Blackwell
Publication date2013
Pages19-31
Chapter2
ISBN (Print)978-1-118-31480-7
Publication statusPublished - 2013
SeriesUFAW Animal Welfare Series

ID: 44660077