Welfare Assessment

Clinical interpretation of body language and behavioral modifications to recognize pain in domestic mammals

Nonhuman animals use nonverbal cues to communicate their mental state about positive and negative events, including pain. Pain is a multidimensional process that elicits behavioral changes aimed at preventing further damage and promoting healing. These changes include restrictions on movement...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat, Cattle, Dog, Equine, Goat, Pig

Citation: Mota-Rojas, D., Whittaker, A. L., Lanzoni, L. et al. 2025. Clinical interpretation of body language and behavioral modifications to recognize pain in domestic mammals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Body condition scoring and weighing—Going combo!

Evaluating an animal’s nutritional status and overall fitness ensures its welfare. While weight is often used as a single proxy for overall fitness, it may not capture changes in muscle or fat mass on its own. This is why body...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: McClenaghan, M., Galichet, C., Murphy, S. et al. 2025. Body condition scoring and weighing—Going combo! Animal Technology and Welfare 24(2), 138–140.

Review: Gut microbiota—a powerful tool for improving pig welfare by influencing behavior through the gut–brain axis

Animal welfare is one of the core concerns in the field of animal science, with behavior serving as a direct reflection of emotional state and health, and thus a key indicator for welfare assessment. With the widespread adoption of intensive...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Jian, X., Zheng, D., Pang, S. et al. 2025. Review: Gut microbiota—a powerful tool for improving pig welfare by influencing behavior through the gut–brain axis. Animals 15(13), 1886.

Assessing the relationship between incisor wear, age, and body condition in Dohne Merino ewes (Ovis aries)

Sheep (Ovis aries) are stoic, prey animals that have evolved to mask signs of pain and vulnerability, making behavioural indicators of poor welfare difficult to detect. Body condition scoring (BCS) remains one of the most practical, animal-based indicators of chronic...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Holt, A. S., Langford, F. M. 2025. Assessing the relationship between incisor wear, age, and body condition in Dohne Merino ewes (Ovis aries). Animal Welfare 34, e53.

Using the Welfare Quality® framework to develop a welfare assessment protocol for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Good welfare is of inherent value to all captive animals and promotes species conservation objectives. Concern for animal welfare is growing globally, and research shows that animal welfare is a top priority for zoo visitors. There is, therefore, an urgent...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Gill, N. M., Bueno, M., Anderson, N. E. 2025. Using the Welfare Quality® framework to develop a welfare assessment protocol for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Animal Welfare 34, e54.

A scoping review on salivary oxytocin and vasopressin measurement in the dog

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are attracting interest as potential measures for dog welfare and human-dog interactions. The potential for detection and measurement of these two neuropeptides in canine saliva provides a viable alternative to more invasive collection methods. This...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: De Santis, M., Soncin, M., Bertazzo, V. et al. 2025. A scoping review on salivary oxytocin and vasopressin measurement in the dog. Animals 15(16), 2421.

Findings and refinements from a decade of applying the Cetacean Welfare Assessment (“C-Well”) to multiple species on public display

Zoo animal welfare assessments can be applied to multi-species risk evaluations to species-specific, animal-based protocols. The latter are more difficult to develop and implement due to time-intensive data collection and difficulties with standardisation. The Cetacean Welfare Assessment (C-Well) was published...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Marine Mammal

Citation: Clegg, I., Schultz, R. 2025. Findings and refinements from a decade of applying the Cetacean Welfare Assessment (“C-Well”) to multiple species on public display. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 13(3), 173–185.

Tracking epidermal cortisol and oxytocin in managed bottlenose dolphins as potential non-invasive physiological welfare indicators

Growing concern over cetacean welfare has highlighted the need for rigorous, science-based assessment methods. Within this context, epidermal cortisol (ECC) and oxytocin (EOC) concentrations have emerged as potentially valuable physiological indicators. In this study, we first validated the analytical measurement...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Marine Mammal

Citation: Agustí, C., Talló-Parra, O., Tejero-Caballo, E. et al. 2025. Tracking epidermal cortisol and oxytocin in managed bottlenose dolphins as potential non-invasive physiological welfare indicators. Animals 15(17), 2628.

Refinements to health monitoring

Green, Amber, Red monitoring system: If a mouse shows any of the listed amber signs, then monitoring is increased to either once or twice weekly (green HC). Mice with 3 amber signs should be on red HC (daily check). Mice...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Jones, H., King, R. 2020. Refinements to health monitoring. Animal Technology and Welfare, 19(2), 153–154.

Mental Health and Well-being in Animals

Since the publication of the first edition of this book, professional and public concern for the well-being of animals has continued to increase throughout the world. Advances in research and technologies have yielded an enormous amount of new knowledge about...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General, Baboon, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Chicken, Chimpanzee, Crocodile & Alligator, Dog, Equine, Fish, Gibbon, Goat, Lemur, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Parrot, Pig, Rabbit, Reptile, Salmon, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Trout, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: McMillan, F. D. (Ed.) 2025. Mental Health and Well-being in Animals (3rd ed.). CAB International, Oxfordshire, UK. 464 p.