Zoo Animals

Zoo Welfare Assessment Five Domains Framework

The Five Domains model provides a comprehensive framework for assessing positive and negative welfare in zoo animals beyond basic health monitoring.

Key Facts

The Five Domains: nutrition, environment, health, behaviour, and mental state
Mental state is the integrating domain reflecting the animal's subjective experience
Positive welfare (thriving) is as important as absence of suffering in the Five Domains
Domain-specific indicators allow systematic welfare assessment across species
Five Domains has been adopted by WAZA and many national zoo associations

Welfare Considerations

The Five Domains model represents a significant conceptual advance beyond the Five Freedoms. By explicitly including positive welfare and subjective mental state, it allows assessment of whether animals are truly thriving rather than merely not suffering. Its adoption by major zoo bodies is driving systematic welfare assessment improvements.

What You Can Do

Support zoos that publicly report Five Domains welfare assessments
Advocate for Five Domains adoption in all zoo accreditation standards
Learn about the Five Domains to better evaluate animal welfare in zoo contexts