An introduction to the textbook Animal Welfare Science

What is it about?

The introduction explains why animal welfare needs to be treated as a science rather than just only a moral instinct. It says people care about animals, but that’s not enough — we need clear concepts, evidence, and shared methods to understand what animals actually experience and how to improve their lives. It also points out that welfare science draws on many fields (vet med, behavior, ethics, policy), and the book’s job is to provide a shared foundation so everyone can work together.

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Photo by Duygu Güngör on Unsplash

Photo by Duygu Güngör on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The intro’s message matters because it names the core problem right away: everyone cares about animal welfare, yet everyone means something different when they talk about it. By pointing out that confusion upfront, the intro gives the reader a clear reason for the rest of the book to exist. It says, essentially, “this field is tangled, people come from wildly different backgrounds, and if we don’t acknowledge that at the start, nothing else will line up.” It sets expectations, clears the fog, and explains why a shared foundation is needed before anyone can make sense of the science, ethics, or practical work that follows.

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