What is an animal welfare audit?

• A. Inspection, data collection, and verification of compliance with an animal welfare program
• B. Customer satisfaction survey
• C. Randomized controlled trials of welfare interventions
• D. Environmental impact assessment

Answer: (A)

An animal welfare audit is a formal process to verify that a facility is meeting its animal welfare program standards. It combines on-site inspection with data collection and verification to assess whether practices, records, and environmental conditions align with defined welfare criteria. Inspectors observe housing, handling, enrichment, nutrition, health care, and daily care; they review records such as medical treatment logs, staff training, and maintenance schedules; and they may interview staff to gauge understanding and consistency of implementation. The aim is to identify strengths, uncover gaps, ensure ongoing compliance, and guide corrective actions to improve welfare.

This differs from a customer satisfaction survey, which focuses on perceptions and experiences of people rather than the facility’s adherence to welfare standards. It also isn’t about testing welfare interventions through experiments (randomized controlled trials), which evaluate the effects of specific welfare changes rather than compliance with a program. And it isn’t an environmental impact assessment, which looks at effects on the environment rather than how welfare practices are applied.