What methods or procedures can be utilized in assessing animal welfare or well-being?
Animal welfare and/or well-being is a complex issue dealing with philosophical, emotional, religious, and political components. Each component may be deep-rooted in a single issue. Science has a great potential to offer objective, factual information which may truly be the only element that assesses or evaluates the welfare of the individual animal. However, welfare is difficult to assess since the very definition of welfare is controversial.