Animal welfare science is evolving rapidly from pain and suffering measurement toward positive welfare indicators that assess happiness flourishing and the good life for animals.
Animal welfare science has evolved from its original focus on preventing suffering toward the more ambitious goal of enabling positive wellbeing. This shift recognizes that the absence of pain is an insufficient welfare standard for animals with complex emotional and social lives. Research into positive emotions in animals including anticipatory excitement during play and the apparent satisfaction of motivated behavior completion offers a richer framework for evaluating and improving welfare across species. The future of welfare science is measuring and maximizing the good life for animals not just minimizing bad experiences.