Animal Welfare

Animal Welfare – Respect and Responsibility

Animal welfare is defined as "the positive mental and physical state associated with the satisfaction of an animal's physiological and behavioral needs, as well as its expectations. This state varies according to the animal's perception of the situation" (Anses Opinion, February 2018). Indeed, an animal has needs, but also expectations. Depending on how these are met, it is capable of experiencing both positive and negative emotions.

The concept of welfare therefore encompasses both the physical state and a positive mental state (both being interdependent): an animal in a state of welfare is one that is doing well both physically and mentally.

The 5 Freedoms of an Animal

Animal welfare is often translated into the fundamental principle of the Five Freedoms. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) uses this concept as a guiding principle to highlight the essential needs required for an animal’s well-being. First published in 1979 by the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council, these five freedoms have since gained global recognition.

They define the conditions that humans must provide to ensure an animal's welfare:

1. Freedom from hunger, thirst, and malnutrition: Access to water and food in appropriate quantities relative to the species and its physiological status.
2. Freedom from fear and distress: Breeding and housing conditions must not induce psychological suffering.
3. Freedom from physical and/or thermal stress: The animal must have a certain level of physical comfort.
4. Freedom from pain, injury, and disease: The animal must not be subjected to ill-treatment that could cause pain or injury, and must receive care in case of illness.
5. Freedom to express normal behavior: The environment must be adapted to the species (e.g., providing social groups for social species).

By adhering to these five freedoms, we ensure animal care (bientraitance): the animal is in an environment consistent with its needs. To combat animal cruelty, regulations use the term "animal protection." These standards "are part of a preventive approach to animal suffering, imposing positive obligations on the owner regarding how they treat their animals" (Anses Opinion, Feb 2018).

PAO's Commitment to Animal Welfare

In accordance with regulations, all experimental protocols are submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and evaluated by the Val de Loire Animal Ethics Committee. Our teams ensure at every stage that respect for living beings and animal welfare are guaranteed within an ethical and responsible framework.

The PAO Unit strictly applies the 3Rs Principle governing animal experimentation:

• Reduction: Minimizing the number of animals used while ensuring the scientific validity of results.
• Replacement: Substituting animal models with in vitro or in silico alternative methods whenever possible.
• Refinement: Implementing all possible measures to prevent, reduce, or alleviate pain, stress, and distress within experimental procedures.

A Dedicated Structure

The PAO Unit has a dedicated Animal Welfare Body (AWB), bringing together unit staff and research users. This body is tasked with ensuring the continuous improvement of practices, notably through innovative solutions (e.g., alternative blood sampling methods, low-stress restraint devices, etc.).
With the support of the Centre-Val de Loire Regional Council, PAO is also committed to the responsible rehoming or reuse of experimental animals, in line with national ethical guidelines.

Proactive Enrichment

Furthermore, PAO takes proactive action for the welfare of animals in husbandry, independent of experimental activities. Our teams regularly propose new environmental enrichment devices to encourage the expression of natural behaviors. The effectiveness of these devices is evaluated through behavioral observation. Consequently, PAO facilities are equipped with various features that contribute to a stimulating environment and the overall well-being of the animals housed