Sustainable approaches to animal behaviour and welfare research - Essay Example

iotic relationship since time immemorial, the other side of the coin that animal too have feelings and superior intelligence have just started dawning on humankind. The nineteenth and the twentieth century saw animals being treated as commodities and exploited without remorse as beasts of burden, as a source of food and entertainment for man, and for biological research in order to search for the secrets of life and cures for debilitating diseases. Voices started being raised for animal welfare during the latter half of the twentieth century when people from some sections of society observed the cruelty being meted out to the poor creatures.

Soon, volunteer and social organizations for animal welfare cropped up in all parts of the world and research activities were directed towards the investigation and formulation of better animal welfare policies and initiation of endeavours to stop cruelty on animals started being conceived. Animal welfare science has developed over the last few years as a specialist entity and has come to be recognised as an interdisciplinary effort (Lund et al, 2006). However, the authors feel that it has till now bean the mainstay of representatives of natural sciences only and needs to adopt a broader interdisciplinary perspective to increase its horizon of activity (Lund et al, 2006).

The concerns for animal welfare are being addressed internationally by organizations such as the OIE (Office International des Epizooties) which provides the international trade agreements for animal welfare and the control of diseases in domesticated farm animals (Lund et al, 2006). The authors feel that the time has arrived when the discipline of animal welfare should encompass a broader horizon by making it a trans-disciplinary subject, as so far it has stayed within the confines of natural sciences only.

Animal psychology, ethics, politics and economics too need to be brought into the perspective of animal welfare science according to the authors (Lund et