What is the definition of animal welfare?

• A. How an animal is coping with the condition which it lives
• B. The animal's metabolic rate
• C. The animal's reproductive status
• D. The genetic background of the animal

Answer: (A)

Animal welfare is about the animal’s ability to cope with the environment it lives in, which includes both physical health and mental well-being. When a condition allows the animal to manage stress, avoid pain, stay healthy, and express natural behaviors, welfare is good. The option that describes welfare as how the animal is coping with its living conditions best captures this idea. The other choices describe biological traits—metabolic rate, reproductive status, and genetic background—that don’t define how well the animal is faring in its environment.