Welfare Science

Animal Welfare Science Journals and Literature

A guide to animal welfare scientific literature, key journals, and how to access and evaluate welfare research for advocates, practitioners, and informed consumers.

Key Facts

Animal Welfare, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, and Animals are key peer-reviewed journals
Many welfare papers are behind paywalls but preprints are increasingly available
Google Scholar provides free access to academic literature and citations
Cochrane-style systematic reviews in welfare science are growing but still limited
Critical evaluation of welfare research requires understanding methodology and limitations

Welfare Considerations

Access to welfare science literature is essential for evidence-based advocacy. Developing skills to find, read, and critically evaluate welfare research strengthens advocacy credibility. Sharing accessible summaries of welfare science with non-specialist audiences multiplies research impact.

What You Can Do

Subscribe to key animal welfare journals or follow on social media for research updates
Develop basic skills in reading and evaluating welfare research papers
Share accessible summaries of welfare research with your community