Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare

In accord with contemporary animal welfare science understanding, the Five Domains Model has a significant focus on subjective experiences, known as affects, which collectively contribute to an animal’s overall welfare state. Operationally, the focus of the Model is on the presence or absence of var...

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Main Author: David J. Mellor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-08-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/8/60
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author David J. Mellor
author_facet David J. Mellor
author_sort David J. Mellor
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description In accord with contemporary animal welfare science understanding, the Five Domains Model has a significant focus on subjective experiences, known as affects, which collectively contribute to an animal’s overall welfare state. Operationally, the focus of the Model is on the presence or absence of various internal physical/functional states and external circumstances that give rise to welfare-relevant negative and/or positive mental experiences, i.e., affects. The internal states and external circumstances of animals are evaluated systematically by referring to each of the first four domains of the Model, designated “Nutrition”, “Environment”, “Health” and “Behaviour”. Then affects, considered carefully and cautiously to be generated by factors in these domains, are accumulated into the fifth domain, designated “Mental State”. The scientific foundations of this operational procedure, published in detail elsewhere, are described briefly here, and then seven key ways the Model may be applied to the assessment and management of animal welfare are considered. These applications have the following beneficial objectives—they (1) specify key general foci for animal welfare management; (2) highlight the foundations of specific welfare management objectives; (3) identify previously unrecognised features of poor and good welfare; (4) enable monitoring of responses to specific welfare-focused remedial interventions and/or maintenance activities; (5) facilitate qualitative grading of particular features of welfare compromise and/or enhancement; (6) enable both prospective and retrospective animal welfare assessments to be conducted; and, (7) provide adjunct information to support consideration of quality of life evaluations in the context of end-of-life decisions. However, also noted is the importance of not overstating what utilisation of the Model can achieve.
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spelling doaj.art-692e8dc4ca5a4acb9446249a9ab573f12022-12-21T18:54:29ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152017-08-01786010.3390/ani7080060ani7080060Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal WelfareDavid J. Mellor0Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New ZealandIn accord with contemporary animal welfare science understanding, the Five Domains Model has a significant focus on subjective experiences, known as affects, which collectively contribute to an animal’s overall welfare state. Operationally, the focus of the Model is on the presence or absence of various internal physical/functional states and external circumstances that give rise to welfare-relevant negative and/or positive mental experiences, i.e., affects. The internal states and external circumstances of animals are evaluated systematically by referring to each of the first four domains of the Model, designated “Nutrition”, “Environment”, “Health” and “Behaviour”. Then affects, considered carefully and cautiously to be generated by factors in these domains, are accumulated into the fifth domain, designated “Mental State”. The scientific foundations of this operational procedure, published in detail elsewhere, are described briefly here, and then seven key ways the Model may be applied to the assessment and management of animal welfare are considered. These applications have the following beneficial objectives—they (1) specify key general foci for animal welfare management; (2) highlight the foundations of specific welfare management objectives; (3) identify previously unrecognised features of poor and good welfare; (4) enable monitoring of responses to specific welfare-focused remedial interventions and/or maintenance activities; (5) facilitate qualitative grading of particular features of welfare compromise and/or enhancement; (6) enable both prospective and retrospective animal welfare assessments to be conducted; and, (7) provide adjunct information to support consideration of quality of life evaluations in the context of end-of-life decisions. However, also noted is the importance of not overstating what utilisation of the Model can achieve.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/8/60affectsfive domains modelmodel applicationssituation-related factorssurvival-critical factorswelfare assessmentwelfare management
spellingShingle David J. Mellor
Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare
Animals
affects
five domains model
model applications
situation-related factors
survival-critical factors
welfare assessment
welfare management
title Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare
title_full Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare
title_fullStr Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare
title_full_unstemmed Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare
title_short Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare
title_sort operational details of the five domains model and its key applications to the assessment and management of animal welfare
topic affects
five domains model
model applications
situation-related factors
survival-critical factors
welfare assessment
welfare management
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/8/60
work_keys_str_mv AT davidjmellor operationaldetailsofthefivedomainsmodelanditskeyapplicationstotheassessmentandmanagementofanimalwelfare