Measuring animal welfare objectively requires developing and validating indicators that reliably reflect subjective animal experience.
The development of objective animal welfare metrics is a scientific and ethical priority because without reliable measurement, welfare claims on products and in regulations cannot be verified. Progress in this area requires combining behavioral, physiological, and health indicators that together provide a fuller picture of subjective experience. The growing adoption of the Five Domains model encourages assessment of positive welfare alongside absence of suffering, pushing welfare science toward measurement of flourishing rather than just problem absence.