The export of live sheep, cattle and goats for slaughter gives rise to multiple serious welfare problems. The welfare of these animals is compromised due to the inherently stressful and poor conditions to which they are exposed during the journey itself and the treatment of animals once they reach the…
Standards for the preparation, loading and confinement of animals on board ship are set by the federal government through the Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL), which were introduced following the Cormo Express disaster in 2003. However, these standards fail to meet the basic requirements of animal welfare…
The benefits of assistance animals to people are widely discussed but the impact of the work on the animals must also be considered [1]. Assistance animals face a unique set of challenges because they experience a number of processes to prepare them for the specialised roles and work they undertake…
There are many situations where animals provide assistance to people living with a disability. Dogs are the most common assistance animals and those who have been trained by an organisation are often identified by wearing a jacket, a harness, or a brightly coloured collar and lead. Despite assistance dogs being…
Wallowing is a natural behaviour which pigs are motivated to perform and, when given the opportunity, pigs will make their own wallows. A wallow is a shallow depression containing muddy water in which a pig will often dig and root before entering to cover themselves in mud. Ideally, a wallow…
Pigs are intelligent, social animals, with a complex range of behaviours and needs. Group housing of pregnant pigs allows them to engage in exploratory and foraging behaviour, or to interact socially with other pigs. In commercial systems, sows are managed in either static or dynamic groups. A static group is…
Providing environmental enrichment may be an effective strategy to improve animal welfare by enabling positive affective (emotional) states and improving biological functioning, particularly where animals are confined indoors. Poor animal welfare occurs where there is a mismatch between the animal’s needs and aspects of animal management and/or the animal’s environment….
A mating stall is a crate used to hold a female pig for artificial insemination. A mating stall allows the female breeding pig to stand up or lie down but prevents her from turning around. In conventional indoor systems where pregnant pigs are group housed, sows (female breeding pigs that…
Pigs are intelligent, sociable and inquisitive animals. Historically pigs were farmed as an additional source of income in the dairy and grain industry, but pig farming has since evolved into its own industry with ~2.4 million pigs currently being farmed in Australia [1]. Pigs farmed for meat may be housed…
Greyhound racing inherently poses significant risks to animal welfare. Racing greyhounds in very hot weather places them at significant risk of dehydration and heat stress. However, there are no consistent rules that prohibit greyhound racing in Australia above a specific temperature. A recent Australian study of 229 racing greyhounds showed…