Animal category: Wild animals

Answer from the Commission to a question from an MEP on the discovery in Malta of lions and a panther being kept under unfit conditions, revealing serious breaches of the European regulations on animal welfare. In its answer, the Commission states that Member States must apply the Zoos Directive and the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation, and that it is looking into ways to strengthen its legislation to prevent such abuse.

Methodology report for drawing up a list of non-domestic species authorized to be kept without formalities for companionship or approval, for which the CGAAER and IGEDD were mobilized.

Scientific study of British and Japanese visitors' attitudes towards animal welfare in zoos, feeding with live prey and trust in managers: both groups are generally concerned about welfare, but the Japanese base their judgments more on basic needs, while the British emphasize the environmental stimulation provided and the animals' emotions and cognitive abilities.

Synthetic overview exploring the application of welfare theory to zoo animals using key familiar indicators that promote adaptation, autonomy and positive cognitive challenges. A trained human husbandry approach based on compassion is essential to making welfare a core goal in zoos.

Study exploring the importance of positive human-animal interactions for various animal species housed in zoos, as well as welfare-enhancing strategies such as enrichment and positive reinforcement. Integrated into the Five Domains of Animal Welfare model, the human-animal relationship must be optimized to improve the emotional state of animals.

Study of two captive systems for European brown hares bred in Serbia for release and hunting. The study revealed welfare problems such as stereotype behaviors, injuries and poor body condition. These results underline the negative impact of captive breeding on the welfare of hares in Serbia.

Article proposing an analytical tool that sites the impacts of public policy on animal welfare within the same framework as impacts on human welfare, the environment and the economy. This would enable the advantages and disadvantages of public policies to be expressed both globally and more accurately, and would make it possible to compare different impacts. To this end, the authors propose a method for monetizing animal welfare that expresses the intrinsic value of impacts on animal welfare in monetary terms.

Multi-criteria study of behavioral observations, hormonal monitoring and decubitus rates as a means to assess giraffe welfare, comparing summer outdoor habitats and winter indoor quarters at several zoological institutions. The results suggest that housing giraffes indoors does not compromise their welfare, since positive effects were observed in both indoor and outdoor surroundings.

Notice from the French Ministry notifying providers of communication and advertising services to the public that a system for authorizing the publication of advertisements for dogs, cats and ferrets is now operative. Access to this tool should enable the above providers to comply with regulations.

Article proposing a model to improve the welfare of ambassador animals trained in zoos and aquariums. Key concepts include the recognition of choice and control by the animal, use of the most positive and least intrusive interventions possible during training, and a reduction in the use of aversive strategies.