Animal welfare science continues to advance rapidly, providing the evidence base for improvements across companion animals, livestock, wildlife, and aquaculture.
Animal welfare science in 2026 is a mature discipline that increasingly influences policy, industry practice, and public behaviour. The evidence base now supports welfare improvements for fish and invertebrates that were once considered outside the scope of welfare concern. Positive welfare - going beyond the Five Freedoms to assess what makes life worth living for animals - is transforming how welfare is assessed and promoted. The integration of precision technology including continuous monitoring, behavioural AI, and biosensor data into welfare assessment is enabling real-time detection of welfare problems that previously went unnoticed. This evidence base underpins every page of this hub and continues to grow.