[Nangram Rina]
Animal welfare is the relationship between humans and animals as well as the humans’ duty that the animals under their care are treated humanely. The animal is said to be in a good state of health where it is healthy, comfortable, well feed, able to express its natural character and not suffer from adverse conditions, ie, fear, pain and distress.
Good animal welfare requires disease prevention of animals, management of animals, veterinary treatment when animals are sick, animal care, balanced nutrition, appropriate shelter, humane handling of each animal, and humane slaughter. Proper animal welfare is a human duty and responsibility that includes all the aspects of animal comfort and their safety.
Key aspects of animal welfare
Proper Care: Providing adequate food, water, shelter, and healthcare.
Humane treatment: Preventing cruelty, abuse, and neglect.
Conservation: Protecting endangered species and their habitats.
Regulations: Establishing laws and guidelines to safeguard animal welfare.
Importance of animal welfare
Animals are the beauty of our nature. Animals are used for human benefit in many ways across the Earth, including for food, entertainment, sports, scientific study, research, transport, and companionship. Each animal has their distinctive place and role in origin of ecosystem for its maintenance.
To maintain a healthy balance of life on Earth, all living things, insects, animals and marine species are just as important as humans. Even wildlife plays an important role in this system. Ecosystem is all about inter-relationships between distinct organisms connected through food webs and food chains. All human beings on Earth depend directly and indirectly on animals for milk, meat, cosmetic products, wool, skin, research and many more products derived from them.
Many of the extracts from animal species are rich in nutrients and antioxidants; hence, they are precious commodities as medicines for pharmaceutical companies. They play key role in boosting world economy.
Birds, bees and insects play a role in the production of fruits and vegetables, which is the result of a process called pollination. Animals help to improve the health and wellbeing of humans. Dogs can also be used in speech therapy and physical rehabilitation to help patients in fast recovery. Also, dogs provide companionship to children with health or mental health problems and also to elderly people (Griffin, etal, 2011). Even in the modern world, people love and care for their pets like their own child, and in return they enjoy the ultimate love of animals. People along with their children spare time to visit wildlife sanctuaries and zoos to get rid of mental stress. Animals and their different by-products contribute a high share in every country’s gross domestic product to improve their economy.
The survival of human can only be possible by the protection of animals. Animal protection and welfare leads to domestication of animals which minimises the human-animal conflict and zoonotic diseases. Human and animal bonds are beneficial and motivating relationships.
Hence, the better we understand this human-animal bond and animal psychology, the more we can use it to improve people’s lives. Some people who live their lives closely associated with different animals, like farmers, animal feeders, animal trainers, animal handlers, animal scientists, animal breeders, veterinarians, para veterinarian, and zookeepers recognise these challenges and adopt animal welfare acts, policies, practices and programs to assure the availability of wholesome food, veterinary care, proper handling and socialisation. They examine and evaluate individual animals for health and welfare indicators, viz, skin coat, mouth part, energy level, appetite, hair coat, brightness of eye and other general signs of health.
When proper practices and management are carried out, the animals appear comfortable and healthy. It is time for all human beings to understand the importance of animal welfare and their role in our lives.
The five freedoms of animals
The five freedoms are a set of internationally-recognised animal welfare standards which includes following points:
- Freedom from hunger and thirst: By ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
- Freedom from discomfort: By providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
- Freedom from pain, injury or disease: By prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
- Freedom to express normal behaviour: By providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.
- Freedom from fear and distress: By ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
Conclusion
Animals play a crucial role for successful development of human beings as a source of food, in research and medical fields and many more. Realising the importance and benefits of animals, it is our responsibility to protect all animals.
Many government and non- government organisations are leading in the field of animal welfare, but it is time for ourselves to think about animals and their role in human life. The role of each person is important in animal welfare. (The contributor is a student of the College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Selesih, Mizoram)
