Discipline: Ethics

Biology, husbandry systems and farm practices for American mink, red and Arctic foxes, raccoon dog and chinchilla kept for fur production - EFSA

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Maria Díez-León, Sabine Dippel, Sandra Edwards, Angela Schwarzer, Denise Candiani, Michaela Hempen, Eliana Lima, Claudia Millán Caravaca, Neil J. Tirchett, Yves Van der Stede, Marika Vitali, Mette S. Herskin

Published in 2025

EFSA technical report updating its 2001 analysis of the welfare of animals bred for their fur (mink, fox, raccoon dog, chinchilla), incorporating recent data on these animals' biology and the production cycles and farming methods used.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Mammals

Go to document

Change the world farm by farm: The moral care of audit and the paradox of animal welfare inspection in Europe

Mc Loughlin

Published in 2025

Scientific article noting that European veterinary inspectors face a moral dilemma between official standards and the industrial reality of animal welfare during their inspections. Their power is limited, and they have to arbitrate between compliance, benevolence and systemic constraints.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Go to document

Welfare of American mink, red and Arctic foxes, raccoon dog and chinchilla kept for fur production - EFSA

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW)

Published in 2025

Recent scientific opinion from the EFSA, identifying the main welfare risks to animals bred for their fur (mink, foxes, raccoon dogs, chinchillas), which are mainly associated with lives spent in cages without enrichment, resulting in restricted movement, stress and behavioral disorders.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Mammals

Go to document

European Parliament: written answer to question E-001682/25: Turkish law that allows the killing of roaming dogs and cats

Question: Sebastian Everding (The Left), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew), Erik Marquardt (Greens/EFA), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA), Tomáš Kubín (PfE), Maria Zacharia (NI). Answer: Mrs Kos on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

In response to concerns about the mass slaughter of stray dogs in Turkey, the Commission points out that animal welfare is not regulated at EU level for third countries. However, it supports the actions of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE),of which Turkey is a member, to promote international standards on the ethical management of dog populations.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Go to document

Regional Platform on Animal Welfare for Europe - Annual report - 2024

Regional animal welfare platform for Europe / WHOA

Published in 2024

The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) European Regional Platform on Animal Welfare, created in 2013, supports all 53 European countries in the progressive implementation of WOAH standards, notably in the realms of transport, slaughter, management of stray dogs, animal welfare during emergencies caused by extreme natural events, and working equines. Since 2024, it has been putting its fourth action plan into operation, which responds to the needs of member countries and the results of an external evaluation.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

Go to document

European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-001516/2025: Compliance with the directive on the welfare of pigs

Question : Sebastian Everding (The Left), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA), Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA), Günther Sidl (S&D), David Cormand (Greens/EFA), Cristina Guarda (Greens/EFA), Anthony Smith (The Left), Maria Noichl (S&D), Niels Fuglsang (S&D), Sigrid Friis (Renew), Elisabeth Grossmann (S&D), Friedrich Pürner (NI), Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (Renew). Answer: Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

Replying to a question from a group of MEPs on the systematic docking of pig tails, which is widely practised in almost all Member States despite its ban since 1994, the European Commission asserts that its efforts to improve the implementation of this ban continue, via the mutual sharing of good practices, the evaluation of national action plans, and the examination of options for monitoring, including procedures to deal with non-compliance. 

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Porcines

Go to document

Beak trimming of hens: Practices, welfare concerns and alternatives

Harliqueen Jacinto, Marisa Erasmus

Published in 2025

Article outlining alternatives to beak trimming, practiced to limit pecking in laying hens. Environmental enrichment, genetic selection and better management practices are explored.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Go to document

Quantifying the welfare impact of air asphyxia in rainbow trout slaughter for policy and practice

C. Schuck-Paim, W.J. Alonso, P.A. Pereira, J.L. Saraiva, M. Cerqueira, C. Chiang & L.U. Sneddon

Published in 2025

Study using the Welfare Footprint Framework to quantify the effectiveness of slaughter practices used on trout, by measuring the time spent by the fish in negative affective states. The study shows that electrical or percussive stunning can significantly reduce pain, providing evidence-grounded metrics to guide regulatory decisions.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Fish

Go to document

Humane stunning or stun/killing in the slaughter of wild-caught finfish: The scientific evidence base

James KL, Aparicio SP, Jayasuriya NS, Herath TK, Lines J, Sneddon LU, Amarasinghe US, Randall NP

Published in 2025

Review article on methods of stunning and/or killing wild-caught fish. The authors highlight the urgent need for research into humane stunning methods that are better adapted to the needs of each species and that can be performed under the conditions found in commercial fishing.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Go to document

Bien-être ou bientraitance animale : à qui profitent les mots ?

Marie-Claude Marsolier

Published in 2025

Article returning to the need for a distinction in French between the term "bien être", describing an individual's experienced state of well-being or welfare, and "bientraitance", describing the positive actions taken by another individual or body to benefit the first, which may or may not be successful in achieving this outcome. "Bientraitance" thus represents the point of view of the indivual or body who acts, while "bien-être" represents the point of view of the individual who experiences the action. 

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: All animals

Go to document