Are the key welfare models effective for exotic pet animals?

Journal article


Grant, R., Jessop, M., Steedman, C. and Warwick, C. (2024). Are the key welfare models effective for exotic pet animals? Discover Animals. 1 (15). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44338-024-00013-2
AuthorsGrant, R., Jessop, M., Steedman, C. and Warwick, C.
Abstract

The Five Freedoms, Five Domains, Five Welfare Needs, and other similar models or principles, are key aspirational or outcome-led frameworks aimed at safeguarding animals under human custodianship, and are widely used in legislation, guidance documents, and protocols. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of these animal welfare models as intended protections. Our study considered three informational tiers of relevance for guidance: Tier 1, key welfare models and principles governing legislation; Tier 2, formal secondary guidance; and Tier 3, welfare outcomes. We conducted a literature review of key welfare models, as well as reports of persistent animal welfare problems associated with exotic pets, and collated available examples of relevant legislation and their implementation. Of the 91 studied regions that adopted animal welfare models, the following were directly or closely aligned with: Five Freedoms n = 64, Five Welfare Needs n = 26, Five Domains n = 1. We identified the following numbers of welfare concerns for animals kept in trade and private home situations: invertebrates n = 21, fishes n = 27, amphibians n = 26, reptiles n = 43, birds n = 22, mammals n = 43. Despite the frequent adoption of one or other model or principle, animal welfare concerns and problems were regularly identified in relation to both commercial and home environments across all animal classes. We recommend that animal welfare is assigned priority over traditional pet selling or keeping practices through the adoption of modernised animal welfare models, underpinned by evolving scientific knowledge and precautionary principles, that aim to promote animal-centric preferred life quality.

KeywordsFive Freedoms, Five Domains, Five Welfare Needs, exotic pet, companion animal, wild animal, animal welfare
Year2024
JournalDiscover Animals
Journal citation1 (15)
PublisherSpringer
ISSN3004-894X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s44338-024-00013-2
Web address (URL)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44338-024-00013-2#article-info
Publication dates
Online31 Jul 2024
Publication process dates
Deposited04 Jul 2024
Accepted01 Jul 2024
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Open
Accepted author manuscript
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File Access Level
Controlled
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Are the key welfare models effective for exotic pet animals
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