Animal welfare science uses rigorous methods to measure and improve animal wellbeing. Understanding how welfare is measured helps advocates evaluate evidence and support good science.
Animal welfare science provides the evidence base for welfare improvement. Without rigorous measurement, welfare claims cannot be evaluated or compared. The development of validated welfare assessment protocols - from the Welfare Quality farm assessment to the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram - has created tools that enable consistent, evidence-based welfare judgements. Supporting animal welfare science through funding research, demanding evidence-based standards in certification schemes, and engaging critically with welfare claims rather than accepting anecdote, directly improves the quality of welfare decision-making across all sectors.