The 5 Freedoms were developed by the United Kingdom Farm Animal Welfare Council as a way to keep livestock in a humane manner. The 5 Freedoms have since been adopted by many organizations and professionals that care for animals, including animal shelters/humane societies.
The 5 Freedoms are as follows:
- Freedom from hunger or thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor
- Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
- Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
- Freedom to express (most) normal behavior by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind
- Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering
What I love about the 5 Freedoms is that they so clearly define the majority of what we are trying to do in our education programs. These are definitions that show what a responsible pet owner provides to the pets in his or her care, and also helps facilitate empathy towards animals. It shows that we can change an animal's emotional health just by making an effort to provide the 5 Freedoms.What I also love about the 5 Freedoms is that in order to meet the criteria of all five a person needs to know what the needs of a specific species are, and requires that a pet owner do some research so that they can provide them.
As I go through the school year working with the kids in our clubs, after-school programs and other programs I'll be looking at ways to introduce the students I work with to the 5 Freedoms. Hopefully it will make them think about how they can make life better for their own pets.
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