Welfare Science

Animal Welfare Science Education in Veterinary Schools

Veterinary education increasingly incorporates welfare science, but coverage remains inconsistent across institutions globally.

Key Facts

The RCVS and AVMA now list animal welfare as a core competency for graduates
Welfare science as a discipline has grown from ethics-focused modules to evidence-based assessment
Clinical welfare skills include pain scoring, euthanasia decision-making and behavioural assessment
Some schools offer dedicated welfare and ethics programmes; others integrate throughout the curriculum
Graduate welfare competence varies significantly between veterinary schools globally

Welfare Considerations

Veterinarians are the frontline advocates for animal welfare in clinical, farm and policy settings. Their education in welfare science directly affects the quality of welfare advice they provide throughout their careers. Strengthening welfare education in veterinary schools is therefore a high-leverage intervention for improving animal welfare at scale.

What You Can Do

Support veterinary schools that invest in welfare science education
Advocate for welfare competency standards in veterinary accreditation
Encourage continuing professional development in animal welfare for practising vets
Support welfare science research that generates evidence for veterinary education curricula