Animal category: Wild animals

European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-001998/2025: Animals confined in unspeakable conditions in Malta

Question: Lara Magoni (ECR). Answer: Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

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.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Wildlife, Felines

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Establishment of a list of non-domestic animal species that may be kept for companionship and pleasure, and definition of "conservation breeding".

Céline Couderc-Obert (IGEDD), Catherine Lhote (IGEDD), Philippe Steinmetz (CGAAER)

Published in 2025

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.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Wildlife, other small companion animals

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A comparison of attitudes towards animal welfare between British and Japanese zoo visitors: Where and when do cultural differences diverge?

Yumi Yamanashi , Yuko IkkataiMoe Honjo, Nahoko Tokuyama, Rie Akami, Duncan Andrew Wilson, Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith

Published in 2025

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife

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Key Concepts for Enhancing Zoo Animal Welfare: Coping, Comfort, Choice, Control, Challenge, and Compassion

Rose, P. E., & Lewton, J.

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

Key words:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Learning, Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationship

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The human-animal relationship in zoo-housed mammals: Behavioral and physiological responses to visitor and keeper interactions

Domínguez-Oliva, A., Marcet-Rius, M., Gómez-Medina, C., Olmos-Hernández, A., Gutiérrez, Q., & Mota-Rojas, D.

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords: Enrichment, Human-animal relationships

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Welfare assessment of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) reared in captivity for their subsequent release

Katarina Nenadović, Marijana Vučinić, Ljiljana Janković, Vladimir Drašković, Radislava Teodorović, Milutin Đorđević

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords:Animal adaptation to the environment, Animal-based measurement, Population management, Welfare indicators, Housing, Behavioural disorders

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Monetizing Animal Welfare Impacts for Benefit-Cost Analysis

Budolfson Mark, Espinosa Romain, Fischer Bob, Treich Nicolas

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Wildlife, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Biodiversity, Environment, Risk management, Population management, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Modelling, One Welfare,  Livestock farming system, Societal issues.

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Assessing Giraffe Welfare During Seasonal Habitat Changes in Northern US Zoos

Razal, C., Bryant, J., & Miller, L.

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife, Ruminants

Keywords:Animal adaptation to environment, Animal-based measurement, Livestock buildings, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment

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Notice to services communicating with the public and to advertising companies authorizing the publication of sales offers for dogs, cats and ferrets.

French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2024

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.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Canines, Wild animals, Felines

Key words:Abandonment, Adoption, Animal trade, Abuse

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A Reexamination of the Relationship between Training Practices and Welfare in the Management of Ambassador Animals

S. Martin, G. Stafford, D.S. Miller

Published in 2024

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.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords: Animal mediation, Self-medication, Education, Human-animal relationship, Socialization,Working animals, Learning

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