The Animal Welfare ACT is a lawful act of the UK parliament to protect the health and welfare of animals. This law covers animals with vertebrae.
What’s the difference between health and welfare?
Health is physical and welfare is mental. Though your animal may be healthy, it doesn't mean they're happy. You can keep an animal in a small cage healthy but it won't be happy. Depending on the circumstance of the animal, lack of welfare can cause health issues and how lack of health can cause depression in an animal.
The Animal Welfare ACT has the 5 main animal needs:
The need for a suitable ENVIRONMENT
The need for a suitable DIET
The need to exhibit NATURAL BEHAVIOURS
The need to be SOCIAL/SOLITARY
The need to be PROTECTED from PAIN, SUFFERING and DISEASE
Explained in detail below:
The need for a suitable environment
Every species needs a different and safe environment to meet their needs. Sometimes it can even differ in gender, age and perhaps the individual personality of your pet. This can include temperature, substrate, a suitable amount of space or be as safe as possible. While something is safe for one animal, doesn't make it safe for another. The same as space, different methods to calculate the amount of space a particular species needs, no matter how similar some animals may be. It can depend on the size, activity and the behaviours of an animal. Some will need their enclosures to be made out of certain materials for safety.
The need for a suitable diet
Every animal will need access to fresh and clean water every day and a diet to fit their species, size and age. This usually doesn't mean sticking with one type of food. Most animals will need a variety of protein, nutrition, fibre and vitamins etc. In Fact, most foods aimed at certain pets can be unsuitable and harmful. Even the most expensive. Sometimes, the cheaper option is the best option, for you and your pet. There is a percentage goal of nutrients, protein, fibre etc of each animal to prevent obesity or underweight and stunted animals. You should also consider the diet of other animals used in your animal’s diet, as this can also have an effect. It can take up to 6 months for a new diet to take effect sometimes depending on the animal. Or maybe the food is hard for animals to digest. It is seen as ''normal'' for a cat to be sick a lot, but this is not true. Most foods and brands you see targeted at all animals are not suitable, even if they claim to be, whether it be your local supermarket or pet store.
The need to exhibit natural behaviours
This will depend on your species of animal. It could mean, to have enough bedding to burrow, tunnels, to scatter feed to allow foraging, allowing enough space for animals to exhibit these behaviours. Some animals will need a wheel, to be walked every day, to climb or even have hides, sand/dust baths, chew toys or certain species of animals will need certain requirements to breed. To be able to exhibit natural behaviours will prevent/reduce boredom and keep their minds stimulated, which improved their mental state preventing a bored and depressed animal.
The need to be social/solitary
Don't forget, because you like to socialise, doesn't mean your pet does. Some animals only meet to breed, and some are so social they live together in groups of sometimes hundreds. Some species of animal it depends on the individual animal on whether they choose to be alone and show aggressive behaviours or even kill their companion, while another becomes bored and depressed without a companion. In some states, it is illegal to keep certain pets alone unless they're aggressive. Or in other circumstances, some species need to be kept alone due to territorial reasons.
The need to be protected from pain, suffering and disease
Animals can feel pain and get sick too, this is why a safe and comfortable environment is important, as well as the animal being treated with love like a companion, not a product. Being able to afford vet bills is important too, it is recommended to save a certain amount of money each month. Being in pain and suffering can impact the body's health as well as the mental state. As owners, no matter how big or small, it is our responsibility to provide these lawful 5 animal needs to our pets.
For captive orcas, the Animal Welfare ACT 2006, AWA2006, states that a tank for an orca must be 48ft in each direction, with a straight line of travel across the middle.
Each one of these needs impacts both the physical and mental health of the animal. They don't choose us; we choose them, so it is our duty to provide them with the best possible life.
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