Animal welfare science has moved beyond measuring only suffering to also assessing positive states like contentment, curiosity, and play. This shift is transforming standards and assessments.
Traditional animal welfare science focused primarily on reducing negative states — pain, fear, hunger. The emerging positive welfare framework recognizes that a good life requires more than the absence of suffering: it includes opportunities for pleasure, curiosity, social engagement, and play. Welfare assessments that measure positive states alongside negative ones provide a richer picture of animal experience and drive higher-quality standards.