Five Freedoms#History
{{Short description|Aspects of animal welfare under human control}}
{{Not to be confused with|Four Freedoms}}
{{Other uses|Five freedoms (disambiguation){{!}}Five freedoms}}
The Five Freedoms, sometimes referred to as the Five Freedoms model,{{cite book|url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.9774/gleaf.9781351270045_3/key-issues-farm-animal-welfare-tracey-jones|chapter=The key issues in farm animal welfare|first=Tracey|last= Jones|title=
The Business of Farm Animal Welfare|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781351270045|doi=10.9774/gleaf.9781351270045|editor-first1=Nicky|editor-last1= Amos|editor-first2= Rory|editor-last2= Sullivan}} is a framework for assessing animal welfare that uses an outline of five aspects.{{cite journal|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10806-012-9434-7|title=A Critique of FAWC’s Five Freedoms as a Framework for the Analysis of Animal Welfare|first=Steven P.|last= McCulloch|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics|date=8 December 2012|volume=26|pages=959–975}} They were developed in response to a 1965 UK Government report on livestock husbandry, and were formalised in a 1979 press statement by the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council. They have been adopted by the European Union and in some other countries and endorsed by some professional groups including the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe,{{cite web|website=Federation of Veterinarians of Europe|title=Code of Good Veterinary Practice |url=http://www.fve.org/news/publications/pdf/gvp.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065817/http://www.fve.org/news/publications/pdf/gvp.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-04}} and organisations including the World Organisation for Animal Health,{{cite web|url=http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahc/2010/en_chapitre_1.7.1.htm|title=Introduction to the recommendations for animal welfare|publisher=World Organisation for Animal Health|access-date=2012-01-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805111504/http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahc/2010/en_chapitre_1.7.1.htm|archive-date=2011-08-05}} the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,{{cite web|publisher=RSPCA|title=Animal welfare. Roman law. worldwide|url=http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232720717749&mode=prd|access-date=2012-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235030/http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232720717749&mode=prd|archive-date=2016-03-03}} and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.{{cite web|title=ASPCA|url=http://www.aspcapro.org/resource/shelter-health-animal-care/five-freedoms|website=ASPCA: Five Freedoms|publisher=American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)|access-date=2 October 2015|archive-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006102040/http://www.aspcapro.org/resource/shelter-health-animal-care/five-freedoms}}
Current compact
The five freedoms as expressed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in 2009 are:{{cite web |title=Five Freedoms |url=http://www.fawc.org.uk/freedoms.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121007104210/http://www.fawc.org.uk/freedoms.htm |archive-date=2012-10-07 |date=16 April 2009 |publisher=Farm Animal Welfare Council / Farm Animal Welfare Committee}}
- Freedom from hunger or thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
- 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 behaviour 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
History
In 1965, the UK government commissioned an investigation, led by Professor Roger Brambell, into the welfare of intensively farmed animals, partly in response to concerns raised in Ruth Harrison's 1964 book, Animal Machines. The Brambell Report stated "An animal should at least have sufficient freedom of movement to be able without difficulty, to turn round, groom Itself, get up, lie down and stretch its limbs".{{Citation|last1=Brambell|first1=Roger|title=Report of the Technical Committee to Enquire Into the Welfare of Animals Kept Under Intensive Livestock Husbandry Systems|pages=1–84|year=1965|series=Cmd. (Great Britain. Parliament)|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office}} This short recommendation became known as Brambell's Five Freedoms.
As a result of the report, the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee was created to monitor the livestock production sector. In July 1979, this was replaced by the Farm Animal Welfare Council, and by the end of that year, the Five Freedoms had been codified into the recognisable list format.{{cite web|publisher=Farm Animal Welfare Council |date=1979-12-05 |title=Press Statement |url=http://www.fawc.org.uk/pdf/fivefreedoms1979.pdf |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121007104210/http://www.fawc.org.uk/pdf/fivefreedoms1979.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-07 }}
Some countries, such as New Zealand, have proposed going further than the Five Freedoms to "Five Domains" to include a focus on the mental health of the animal following New Zealand becoming the fifth country to legally recognize animal sentience in 2015.{{Cite web |title=Learn more: Five Freedoms vs Five Domains • SPCA New Zealand - Animal Welfare Certified |url=https://www.spcacertified.nz/learn-more/article/five-freedoms-vs-five-domains |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=www.spcacertified.nz}} As of 2021, animal sentience was also recognized in Chile, Colombia, Peru, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and all EU countries.{{Cite web |last=Carpendale |first=Max |date=2022-12-09 |title=Does Sentience Legislation help animals? |url=https://www.animalask.org/post/does-sentience-legislation-help-animals |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Animal Ask |language=en}}
Companies and countries following the Five Freedoms model frequently utilize their animal welfare standards as a competitive advantage. RSPCA Assured food labeling scheme (formerly Freedom Food) in the United Kingdom is based on the Five Freedoms.{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=Geoffrey |last2= Higgins |first2=Vaughan |date=2007 |title=Agricultural Governance: Globalization and the New Politics of Regulation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nqJgL7SBSEQC |publisher=Taylor & Francis |pages=178–180 |isbn=978-1134262823}}{{cite book |last=Schroder |first= William R.|date=2012 |title=Government and the Food Industry: Economic and Political Effects of Conflict and Co-Operation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DBfpBwAAQBAJ |publisher=Springer |page=213 |isbn=978-1461562214}} Major New Zealand exporters like Silver Fern Farms and Ziwi Pets highlight their adherence to the Five Freedoms in their marketing.{{Cite web |title=Our Chain of Care {{!}} Silver Fern Farms |url=https://silverfernfarms.com/nz/en/what-were-made-of/our-chain-of-care |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=silverfernfarms.com}}{{Cite web |last=Polyn |first=Glenn |date=2022-11-01 |title=Best of the Best: Pet Age Introduces 2022 Power 50 List |url=https://www.petage.com/best-of-the-best-pet-age-introduces-2022-power-50-list/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=www.petage.com |language=en-US}}