Interconnected systems
Welfare includes the state of the body and the mind because physical and mental states are interconnected.
Every animal has inherited a suite of traits and systems that helped their ancestors survive and reproduce in specific environments. Their bodies detect changes and respond in ways that either restore things back to normal or adjust (adapt) to the changed conditions. Mental states (feelings, affects and emotions) signal whether a change is relevant, and motivate responses that aim to resolve any challenges and seize opportunities. They are crucial to the body's monitoring and regulatory processes.
The physical aspects, and how well the animal looks, are important, but good health alone is not welfare because any animal can look great (like be in good body condition, with a shiny coat), whilst mentally their experience is one of feeling bored, frustrated, miserable, frightened, aggressive or shut down. Negative mental states can affect their physical health in different ways.
Living a full life involves experiencing the whole range of emotions. It is very common to think that all negative experiences are ‘bad’ and we should avoid them altogether, but that’s not quite right. All experiences have a purpose.
Biologically, negative experiences have the purpose of motivating the animal to do something that helps their body restore good function or adapt to change. Hunger, for example, is a negative experience, but it is important because it motivates the animal to find and eat food. Searching, finding and eating preferred foods, then leads to positive experiences.
If an animal never felt fear or pain, they would not protect and defend themselves from attacks or injuries. If we are to take the animal's perspective, it helps to focus on whether the animal has the opportunities and the capacities to avoid or resolve any negative experiences as they arise - and while they are at a tolerable level - and well before their intensity increases to become disabling, excruciating or chronic.
Welfare management must focus on the animal's experiences:
We know that when the conditions the animal is in are giving rise to negative experiences, and the animal cannot avoid or resolve them, they will be in a negative mental state and considered to be in poor (or compromised) welfare.
When the conditions the animal is in allow the animal to avoid or resolve any negative experiences as they arise, and they can engage in positive, rewarding experiences, they will tend to be in a positive mental state, which is considered good (or enhanced) welfare.
It is important to note that when animals cannot resolve negative experiences, these may intensify and become excruciating, debilitating, or chronic, affecting negatively their physical and mental states. When animals are in a negative mental state, they may be unable to engage in and benefit from positive experiences - even if these are available to them.
