Cross-cultural variation in understanding of animal welfare principles and animal management practices among veterinary and animal welfare professionals in the UK and Japan

The World Organisation for Animal Health describes animal welfare as a “complex and multifaceted
subject with scientific, ethical, economic, cultural, social, religious and political
dimensions.” In this study, an online survey in English and Japanese was developed based on
the Five Freedoms, with the aim of investigating attitudes of veterinarians and behaviour/welfare
scientists in the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan toward management of companion, farmed,
experimental, zoo and wildlife animals. Respondents from the UK (n = 212) were more familiar
with the Five Freedoms than those from Japan (n = 321) but both countries tended to prioritise
‘survival-related’ attributes (health and nutrition) over ‘situation-related’ attributes (behaviour)
and the environmental impacts (discomfort). In Japan, however, fewer respondents recognised
the ‘Freedom to express normal behaviour’ as important for domesticated animals compared to
UK respondents. When considering vignettes with practical situations of cat management and
dog euthanasia, UK respondents considered the provision of outdoor access to represent better
management for cat welfare while most Japanese respondents thought cats should be managed
entirely indoors, although the benefits and risks of going outdoors were similarly recognised in
both countries. For the vignette of dog pain relating to an incurable tumour, severe pain and the
dog’s mental stress motivated respondents from both countries to consider euthanasia. However,
for Japanese respondents, the data suggested a perception that mental stress did not have an
association with the dog’s inabilities to express normal behaviour. These data highlighted the
importance of understanding the manner in which people perceive animals in different contexts
and the value of considering different cultural approaches.