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Animal welfare strategy
What's the issue?
Since the publication of the BVA animal welfare strategy in 2016, we have achieved an enormous amount, building on existing campaigns, supporting the veterinary professions to advocate for animal welfare with clients and take part in lobbying activity, encouraging debate, working with key stakeholders to develop resources, influencing policy makers, and inspiring others at an international level.
In that time, animal welfare has continued to grow in profile. With developments in animal welfare science, we are now better able to characterise animal welfare, and frameworks for assessing and managing animal welfare have evolved. Our own definition of animal welfare has evolved, and we have turned towards the Five Domains model of welfare assessment.
In the years since the publication of the Strategy, we have seen significant change and disruption; from the UK’s departure from the European Union and the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, to the cost-of-living crisis – all of which have impacted and continue to impact in myriad ways on animal welfare and the way animal owners, veterinary professionals, producers, policy makers, and other stakeholders view the social licence around the use of animals. All of this is of course set against a backdrop of the global emergency of climate change and debate over the role of technology in sustainability and climate change mitigation.
It is timely and appropriate for us to evaluate progress against the Strategy, and refresh our areas for action.
New set of areas for action
Our new set of areas for action adds to and builds on the valuable principles of the BVA Animal Welfare Strategy 2016, which at the time were not necessarily all universally accepted and recognised. In 2025 where the legitimacy and importance of veterinary professionals being advocates for animal welfare is embedded at an individual and societal level, we are well placed to refresh our focus, whilst retaining and continuing to champion the achievements that have gone before.
The areas for action appear under the heading of:
- Enabling veterinary professionals as leaders in animal welfare
- Influencing, educating, and achieving change
- National and international advocacy
- Technology
- The veterinary team
- Environmental sustainability
2025 BVA animal welfare strategy
2016 BVA animal welfare strategy
Contact our policy team for more information.