Zoo Animal Welfare

Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics (2006) 19:2736

DOI 10.1007/s10806-005-4380-2 Springer 2006DITA WICKINS-DRAZILOVAZOO ANIMAL WELFARE(Accepted in revised form August 25, 2005)ABSTRACT. The continuing existence of zoos and their good purposes such as

conservation, science, education, and recreation, can be ethically justied only if zoos

guarantee the welfare of their animals. The usual criteria for measuring animal

welfare in zoos are physical health, long life, and reproduction. This paper looks at

these criteria and nds them insucient. Additional criteria are submitted to expand

the range of welfare considerations: natural and abnormal behavior; freedom and

choice; and dignity. All these criteria should play a role in analyzing zoo animal

welfare and interests but dignity has the overriding part because it impacts on both

animal and human interests.KEY WORDS: animal, dignity, ethics, reintroduction, welfare, zoos1. INTRODUCTIONEthical justication for the existence of zoos is questionable. Justicationshave been given for their existence, such as conservation, education, science,and recreation, but all these purposes have been criticized (e.g., Jamieson,1985). However, the question raised in this paper is that of animal welfare interms of individual animal interests.1Zoos often claim that having healthy, long-lived animals that reproduceis sucient proof of good care. I believe that these three criteria have to beexamined more closely and also that there are other important criteria ofzoo animal welfare: natural and abnormal behavior, freedom and choice,and dignity. All these criteria should play a role in analyzing zoo animalwelfare and interests.2 I will examine whether a zoo that has the best possible conservation, education, and scientic programs can be justied in thelight of my new criteria.1 I refuse to use the term animal rights. I think this term makes sense only in legaldiscussions, while this paper is not about legal rights.2 These criteria are articially divided. It is never possible to say that this animal is sueringonly from lack of freedom, for instance.28DITA WICKINS-DRAZILOVA2. PHYSICAL HEALTHThere is no doubt that good physical health is a necessary condition for thewelfare of any animal, and in general, animals in zoos appear to physicallysuer less than animals in nature through veterinary care and medicines,including pain killers. But this is misleading. The nature of pain is a complexissue and it can be dicult for zookeepers to reliably recognize pain inanimals, especially if there is...