Document type : Scientific review / Synthesis

EU POSITIVE LIST - A proposal to regulate the trade in animals destined for life as a pet

Eurogroup for Animals

Published in 2023

A white paper that presents a framework that is feasible in legal terms for a positive list of exotic animal species that could be  legally traded and/or kept as pets. This list takes into account animal welfare, public health, and biodiversity conservation.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords:Societal issuesAnimal population management, Living environment, Human-animal relationships

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The Impact of the Social Determinants of Human Health on Companion Animal Welfare

Sonya McDowall, Susan J. Hazel, Catherine Chittleborough, Anne Hamilton-Bruce, Rwth Stuckey, Tiffani J. Howell

Published in 2023

Review of the impacts of the social determinants of pet owners' health (ie the social, physical, and economic factors that impact human health)  on their pets' welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines, Exotic pets

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, One Welfare, Human-animal relationships

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Welfare issues in broiler chickens: overview

Brian Tainika, Ahmet Şekeroğlu, Ahmet Akyo, Zacharia Waithaka Ng'ang'a

Published in 2023

Publication reviewing the main factors contributing to poor welfare in broiler chickens, their sources, how to mitigate them, and farm management methods that can promote welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal adaptation to the environment, Animal-based measurement, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Fear, Stress, Farming system, Welfare indicator

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Visual perception of emotion cues in dogs: a critical review of methodologies

Catia Correia-Caeiro, Kun Guo, Daniel S. Mills

Published in 2023

Scientific review revealing that research on the visual perception of emotions in dogs focuses on facial emotional cues, often ignoring whole-body information, and pointing to the interpretive errors that can arise as the result of poor study design and incorporation of biases such as anthropomorphism. It suggests that new technologies nevertheless offer a way to resolve data collection issues, offering useful perspectives in this area of study.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision breeding, Human-animal relationships

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Dietary fiber and its role in performance, welfare, and health of pigs

: Ł. Grześkowiak , E.-M. Saliu , B. Martínez-Vallespín , J. R. Aschenbach , G. A. Brockmann, M. Fulde , S. Hartmann , B. Kuhla , R. Lucius , C. C. Metges , H. J. Rothkötter , W. Vahjen , A. G. Wessels, J. Zentek

Published in 2023

Scientific review on the use of dietary fiber for sows, piglets and fattening pigs, and its positive aspect on health and welfare if ration concentrations are respected and if their fermentability is taken into account. Little is known about their effects on intestinal function and gut microbiota.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment

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New report reveals the minimal cost of fish welfare

Eurogroup for Animals and Essere Animali

Published in 2023

Presentation of the key points of a report from Essere Animali on effective stunning methods for fish, a key element for the welfare of fish not included in the recently introduced Italian "Sustainable Aquaculture" certification system. The report emphasizes the low investment cost of acquiring the necessary equipment and the possibility of financing this through the Common Fisheries Policy.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Awareness, Pain, Societal issues, Stress

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The Future of Farming in the EU

Eurogroup for Animals

Published in 2023

Report presenting Eurogroup for Animals's vision for the future of agriculture by 2050. It includes the reversal of the plant/animal protein ratio in human food; a net decrease in the number of farm animals; a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the food industry; improved public health; and greater consideration for the feelings of animals.

Document Types: Scientific review

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

Keywords:Antibiotic resistance, Biodiversity, Environment, One Welfare, Pollution, Human-animal relationships, Farming systems

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Welfare considerations for farming black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): a model for the insects as food and feed industry

M. Barrett, S.Y. Chia , B. Fischer, J.K. Tomberlin

Published in 2023

Scientific review of factors that may influence the welfare of black soldier flies in commercial farming. It identifies the major issues and the farming conditions that cause them, suggesting areas for research to improve our understanding of the welfare of black soldier flies and, more generally, of farmed insects.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Insects

Keywords: Livestock systems, Stress,Welfare indicators

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Looking beyond the Shoal: Fish Welfare as an Individual Attribute

Lauri Torgerson-White, Walter Sánchez-Suárez

Published in 2022

Scientific review on the current status of welfare assessment methods in aquaculture, comparing them with those for terrestrial animals, and offering recommendations for future research that would allow account to be taken of fish welfare at the level of the individual.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Welfare indicators, Breeding and rearing

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Glucocorticoids in relation to behavior, morphology, and physiology as proxy indicators for the assessment of animal welfare. A systematic mapping review

Inga Tiemann, Lisa B. Fijn, Marc Bagaria, Esther M. A. Langen, F. Josef van der Staa3, Saskia S. Arndt, Cathalijn Leenaars, Vivian C. Goerlich

Published in 2023

A systematic review of the literature to determine whether glucocorticoid levels are a relevant indicator of animal welfare. It found that interventions that supposedly affect glucocorticoid levels do not always do so, and when they do, the changes in level are not always accompanied by changes in the associated welfare endpoints of behavior, morphology and physiology.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators, Stress

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