Veterinary education shapes how animals are treated in clinical practice and agricultural production. The integration of welfare science into curricula is critical for improving outcomes.
Veterinary education shapes welfare outcomes for hundreds of millions of animals through the clinical decisions of practicing vets. A vet who does not recognize pain in prey species fails to treat it. A vet who does not counsel clients on welfare-relevant husbandry changes misses opportunities to prevent suffering. A farm vet who does not challenge inadequate stockmanship practices normalizes welfare failures. The integration of welfare science — animal sentience, pain assessment, behavioral indicators, welfare frameworks — into core clinical training is among the highest-leverage investments in animal welfare outcomes. Progress has been significant but uneven, with farm animal welfare consistently receiving less attention than companion animal medicine.