Discipline: Philosophy

Animal Board Invited Review: Intrinsic hedonic value, complexity, and possibility for action as essential characteristics of a welfare-friendly environment for animals

I. Veissier, C. Terlouw, R. Botreau, V. Deiss, S. Cowie

Published in 2026

Study examining how the hedonic value of the environment determines animal welfare. Welfare depends on a balance between positive emotions, environmental complexity and opportunities for behavioral expression: these factors must be optimized (rather than maximized), since an excess or a deficiency of any one of them can be harmful to welfare, with the optimal level varying by individual.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

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Chiens de race : l’esthétique peut-elle justifier la souffrance ?

Valérie Chansigaud

Published in 2026

Article recounting the history of the selection by breeders of animals with extreme body types and describing the health and welfare issues that result from this.

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

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La cοnditiοn des animaux dans l’agriculture industrielle peut-elle faire sοuffrir les hοmmes ? Une étude sοciοlοgique pοrtant sur les cοnflits éthiques et les tensiοns identitaires des travailleurs en prοductiοn animale

Aurora Peinado

Published in 2025

Sociological thesis analyzing ethical conflicts and identity problems among livestock workers

Document Types: Scientific work

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

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La cognition, pierre angulaire des émotions et du bien-être des animaux

A. Boissy

Published in 2025

Article exploring the emotional and cognitive skills of animals, their consciousness and the affects of their psychological activity in order to arrive at the concept of animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

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Translating Ethical Principles into Law, Regulations and Workable Animal Welfare Practices

David J. Mellor, Mette Uldahl

Published in 2025

Philosophical commentary on changes in animal welfare laws. These reflect the shift in ethical approaches from the prevention of abuse to a duty of care towards animals. A four-level legal framework and a four-step assessment process make it possible to integrate explicit ethical principles into animal welfare management.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: All animals

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Evaluating animal consciousness: An emerging field shows how animal feelings can be studied scientifically

Kristin Andrews, Jonathan Birch, Jeff Sebo

Published in 2025

Article summarizing recent scientific findings on animal consciousness. Although studies on bees, cuttlefish and fish point to signs of consciousness, the latter's acceptance as evidence would have major implications for neuroscience and animal welfare. Meanwhile, the lack of a unified theory or precise definition of animal consciousness complicates its  assessment.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Cognitive processes

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A consensus on the definition of positive animal welfare

Rault Jean-Loup, Bateson Melissa, Boissy Alain, Forkman Björn, Grinde Bjørn, Gygax Lorenz, Harfeld Jes Lynning, Hintze Sara, Keeling Linda J., Kostal Lubor, Lawrence Alistair B., Mendl Michael T., Miele Mara, Newberry Ruth C., Sandøe Peter, Špinka Marek, Taylor Alex H., Webb Laura E., Whalin Laura and Jensen Margit Bak

Published in 2025

Consensus sur la définition du bien-être animal positif

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Consciousness, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Memory, Prenatal issues, Cognitive processes, Evolutionary processes

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Animal behaviour and welfare research: A One Health perspective

James William Yeates

Published in 2024

A summary of the ethical principles proposed by the One Health program for research into animal behavior and welfare. Transdisciplinary and multisectoral in nature, such research should describe and apply a harmonious balance between the needs of humans, animals and the environment, and recognize the importance of the integrity of the ecosystem as a whole.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords: Adaptation of the animal to the environment,Adaptation of the environment to the animal , Biodiversity, Education, Environment, Experimentation, Risk management, One Welfare, Human-animal relationshipsLivestock farming system, Societal issues

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Animal welfare at slaughter: perceptions and knowledge across cultures

Michelle Sinclair, Maria José Hötzel, Natasha Y. P. Lee, Maria Catalina T. de Luna, Arvind Sharma, Musadiq Idris, Mohammad Ariful Islam, Oluwaseun S. Iyasere, Grisel Navarro, Abdelkareem A. Ahmed, Georgette Leah Burns, Michael Curry, Jeremy N. Marchant

Published in 2023

Analysis of a survey of the general public to assess knowledge and attitudes towards animal welfare during slaughter (including religious slaughter), in 14 culturally and religiously diverse countries. The results suggest that concern for reducing animal suffering during slaughter is a universal human tendency rather than a cultural development. Acceptance of slaughter without prior stunning is linked to local interpretations of religious requirements.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Sheep, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Education, Euthanasia, Fear, Human-animal relationships

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Animal Rights and Legal Personhood

Ethan Prall

Published in 2024

Synthesis of different views on the moral status of animals, their "fundamental rights" and the relationship between fundamental rights and legal personhood.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords: Societal issues

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