Animal needs in different environments

A. In Captivity

A captive environment should offer environmental comfort and appropriate choices and challenges that allow the animal to express natural, normal & rewarding behaviors. We can consider good animal care to:

• Provide opportunities for comfort, pleasure and interest.
• Allow for environmental choices that promote good welfare.
• Provide an animal with control over its environment.
• Provide pro-active veterinary care and prevention of injury or disease where possible.

This means the habitat must accommodate the animal’s Five Essential Needs and the whole of the animal’s living space (including inside areas) should enable the animal to carry out natural and normal behaviors twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

B. ‘Feelings’, Naturalness’ and Needs

Specific behaviors that animals developed in order to obtain an essential resource

• For example, nest-building in sows, suckling in calves

Needs to show certain behaviors

• If the domestic environment or handling prevents from performing these behaviors, negative emotions are seen in animals such as frustration