Animal welfare science has developed sophisticated tools for measuring the mental and physical states of animals that go far beyond clinical health indicators.
The shift from welfare inputs (what resources are provided) to welfare outcomes (what animals actually experience) represents a major advance. Measuring whether animals show positive behaviors, normal cognition, and species-typical activity provides a more honest picture of welfare than auditing cage size or feed composition. Adopting these tools in commercial auditing and certification systems is a priority for meaningful welfare improvement.