Lives Worth Living: Positive Welfare for Shelter Animals

The revised ASV Guidelines utilize a positive welfare framework which emphasizes the critical need to provide animals with opportunities for positive experiences, as alleviation of suffering does not necessarily result in good welfare. This session will provide an overview of the Five Domains and positive welfare and the strong focus on mental wellbeing to help ensure shelter animals have “lives worth living.” Key recommendations from all sections of the Guidelines will be used to highlight and demonstrate the application of this framework and how shelters can take immediate steps to provide animals with more positive experiences.