Behavioral science provides the evidential foundation for understanding what animals experience and therefore what welfare interventions matter.
Behavioral science is the evidential engine of animal welfare progress: it provides the measurement tools, theoretical frameworks, and empirical evidence that turn welfare concerns into verifiable welfare indicators. Progress in animal welfare has historically tracked progress in behavioral science — each new behavioral indicator of pain, cognition, or emotional state has expanded the scope of welfare consideration. Investing in behavioral science is investing in the evidence base that makes all welfare improvement possible.