What are the five freedoms of animal welfare?

As a professional working within an industry with animals, it’s expected that we have at least a basic knowledge of animal welfare in order to keep our animals safe and happy.

In addition to a canine first aid certificate, and some basic training knowledge, we should also have knowledge of the five freedoms of animal welfare in the UK.

What are the five animal freedoms?

Following the Brambell report in the Uk in 1965, the FAWC (farm animal welfare council) developed these into five freedoms which increased the welfare of farm animals.

This five freedoms framework was taken onboard by other welfare organisations around the world, and in 2006 they became enshrined in UK law within the Animal Welfare Act.

The RSPCA secures around 1500 convictions under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act every year. 

The actual wording within the act is as follows:

For the purposes of this Act, an animal’s needs shall be taken to include—

1. its need for a suitable environment,
2. its need for a suitable diet
3. its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,
4. any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and
5. its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

What do the five animal freedoms mean?

1. Although many of us would provide far more than the minimum, a suitable environment is one with shelter when we’re referring to dogs. 

2. A suitable diet includes the availability of water at all times as per DEFRA guidelines. In the past, I’ve been asked not to refill a puppies water bowl in their crate because they knock it over. This clearly is a welfare issue and an easy fix is to provide a bowl that hangs on the side of the crate. 

3. Exhibiting normal behaviour includes being able to scratch themselves, stand up, stretch and move around. A crate that is too small would inhibit these behaviours in a dog. 

4. The need to be housed with, or apart from, other animals is usually aimed more at male livestock that needs to be housed alone to avoid fighting, or small mammals who are miserable when kept alone, like guinea pigs. However, situations, where dogs are in homes with dogs who they dislike and fight with, could become a welfare issue if it’s not addressed.

5. The need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease is the clause that we, as professional dog walkers, need to be the most aware of and make adjustments for. 

For example, if you were to collect a dog and it’s coughing and showing other signs of kennel cough ( a very infectious respiratory disease) then it cannot be included on a group walk, or enter your vehicle for a solo walk, in order to keep all your other client’s dogs safe. 

No matter how insistent the owner may be. Letting them out for a comfort break in their garden before continuing with your group walk is the best you can do in the situation. Most times the owner will understand.

Another example would be an owner asking you to walk a 12 week old puppy for an hour in the park. Not only is it likely that they would not have finished their vaccination schedule and so at risk from disease, but also over-exercise can damage their growing joints, so the risk of injury and pain.

We also need to be mindful that the equipment we use does not cause pain or injury to the dogs in our care. A dog who pulls on the lead when walked on a flat collar or worse, a slip lead, puts themselves at risk of damaging their neck, windpipe and the pressure on the thyroid area of their neck can cause harm. 

Better to pop a harness on dog’s who pull to minimise any risks, and keep the slip leads for dogs with impeccable walking skills. 

We also need to be aware of the cleanliness of our vehicles in order to reduce the risk of disease. Any outbreak of kennel cough or other infectious disease means a thorough deep clean with a pet-safe disinfectant will be necessary to protect our other canine clients.

Kindness and compassion

There will be times when we all feel a level of frustration with the dog who barks the entire journey or the dog who pulls on the lead so hard they almost pull you over.

A deep breath when you’re having a bad day and a reminder to yourself that they’re not acting that way on purpose to annoy you will soon dispel any frustration. 

Asking yourself “Is this the kindest method I could use?” when trying to stop a dog barking, or pulling, or grabbing at its lead is sometimes all it takes to lead you to learn more about dogs, and why they do things, and more importantly, how to stop them doing the stuff you don’t want them to!

The easiest way to perform your job within the 5 freedoms of the animal welfare act is to simply act with kindness and compassion for the animals in your care.