Animal welfare

Last reviewed date:

26 February 2026

3 minutes read

Animal welfare refers to the physical and mental wellbeing of an animal.

The welfare of domestic and farmed animals depends heavily on how they are managed and cared for by people. A range of factors can impact their welfare, from housing and bedding, space and crowding, transport conditions, stunning and slaughter methods, and procedures such as castration or tail docking.

Good animal welfare practices not only reduce unnecessary suffering but also help keep animals healthy. Stress factors and poor welfare can lead to increased susceptibility to transmissible diseases among animals, which can also pose risks to humans.

Since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty the EU has recognised animals as sentient beings. This means the EU and its Member States bear an ethical responsibility to avoid causing them pain, distress and maltreatment.

Our experts scientifically assess the welfare of farmed animals (such as pigs, sheep, poultry, cattle, fish, and fur-farmed species ), as well as animals bred for sport, hunting, companionship or research.

Ongoing and completed assessments

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Milestones

2026
February
To improve the welfare of turkeys, EFSA’s experts recommend increasing space, providing enrichment , phasing out mutilations, avoiding the practice of flock thinning . Check out our plain language summary and infographic.
2025
July
EFSA’s scientists identified the most relevant welfare consequences for American mink, red and Arctic foxes, raccoon dog and chinchilla raised for fur production in the EU. In a scientific opinion and a technical report scientists provide indications how to slightly or substantially reduce welfare consequences in current systems or in different enclosures. Check out our plain language summary and infographic.
July
EFSA’s scientists provide recommendations to improve the welfare of beef cattle. A scientific opinion and a technical report focus on housing, diet and general wellbeing. Check out our plain language summary and infographic.
2023
September
To improve the welfare of cats and dogs in commercial breeding establishments, EFSA’s scientists recommend avoiding the permanent use of boxes, cages and crates. Check out our news story and plain language summary.
May
Dairy cows, ducks, geese and quail need more space and improved housing according to animal welfare recommendations published in two new scientific opinions. The opinions form part of a series on farmed animal species that support the ongoing revision of the EU’s animal welfare rules. Check out our news story and infographics on dairy cows and on ducks, geese and quail.
March
Veal calves should be housed in small groups during their first weeks of life and the use of individual pens should be avoided to improve their welfare, according to a scientific opinion by EFSA. Check out our news story, plain language summary and infographic.
February
To improve the welfare of farmed broiler chickens and laying hens, EFSA’s scientists recommend avoiding the practice of mutilation , feed restriction and the use of cages in two new scientific opinions. Check out our news release and infographic.
2022
September
EFSA recommends more space, lower temperatures, shorter journeys to improve animal welfare during transport in new five scientific opinions.
August
EFSA provides recommendations to improve the welfare of farmed pigs in the first assessment delivered in the context of Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy.
July
The methodological guidance for the development of welfare mandates in the context of the Farm to Fork strategy is published.

EFSA’s role

Scientific assessments

Our scientists support risk managers by providing scientific advice on ways to reduce animal pain, distress and maltreatment, and to improve welfare wherever possible.

Guidance

Our Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) developed the first international guidelines on risk assessment for animal welfare (2011). The Panel also published guidance for assessing applications for new or modified stunning methods during slaughter (2018).

EU framework

The European Union has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. Harmonised EU rules are in place and cover a range of species and welfare issues.

Council Directive 98/58/EC lays down the minimum standards for the protection of all farmed animals
Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 sets welfare standards for farmed animals during transport
Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 defines rules to protect animal welfare at the time of stunning and slaughter.
Specific directives cover the protection of individual animal categories such as calves, pigs, laying hens and chickens kept for meat production.
In addition to farmed animals, animals used in laboratory tests and wild animals kept in zoos are also protected by harmonised EU standards.

In 2023, the European Parliament and the European Council also published a proposal for a regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats.

Other international organisations have also issued recommendations and guidelines concerning animal welfare, such as the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Council of Europe. The EU is a signatory to the European Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, adopted by the Council of Europe.