Course Description
Public concern for animal welfare of agriculture, companion, and laboratory animals continues to rise. This course will provide an overview of modern day concerns and challenges associated with addressing animal welfare issues. Cognition, emotion, and behavior as it relates to animal welfare will also be discussed.
Athena Title
Animal Welfare
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Animal welfare refers to the quality of an animal’s experience within its environment. This course will introduce students to basic concepts and ongoing challenges related to animal welfare. This course will primarily focus on topics relating to agriculture animal welfare; however, companion and laboratory animals will also be discussed. Potential strategies for improving animal welfare will be discussed. This course will introduce students to the important relationship between neuroscience and animal welfare. Students will learn about the implications of studying animal cognition, emotion, and behavior to better understand and improve animal welfare. Students who take this course will learn about the science of animal welfare and how research guides animal welfare practices.
Topical Outline
I. Animal Welfare A. Definitions of animal welfare B. History of animal welfare C. Major areas of concern-biologic function, affective state, natural living II. Agriculture Animal Welfare: Producer Perspectives A. Transition from small farms to intensive farming B. Positive and negative impacts of intensification of farming practices C. Balancing animal welfare and economic viability D. Technologies that improve animal welfare E. Programs that promote animal welfare III. Agriculture Animal Welfare: Public Perspectives A. Overview of major agricultural animal welfare concerns B. Public responses to animal welfare concerns: Dietary changes, purpose-driven purchasing C. Public demand and producer responses D. Animal welfare and food labels E. Agriculture animal welfare laws and statutes IV. Companion Animal Welfare A. Overview of major companion animal welfare concerns B. Companion animal welfare laws and statutes V. Laboratory Animal Welfare A. Overview of major laboratory animal welfare concerns B. Three R’s of research animals: Replacement, Reduction, Refinement C. Humane endpoints D. Laboratory animal welfare guidelines, laws, and statutes VI. Measuring Animal Welfare A. Animal health B. Animal productivity C. Animal physiology D. Animal behavior VII. Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior A. Animal emotions and affective states B. Relationship between emotions and cognition C. Measuring emotional states through behavior VIII. Neurobiological processes relating to animal welfare A. Brain structures B. Neural activity C. Neurotransmitter systems D. Neuroendocrine systems E. Immunological systems
Syllabus