Beyond suffering: a framework for quantifying positive animal welfare in individuals and populations
Welfare Footprint Institute. https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/mdgjr (2024)
Abstract
The Welfare Footprint Project has so far focused predominantly on quantifying negative affective experiences in animals, given pain’sgreater impact on welfare. However, positive affective states also play a crucial role in an animal’squality of life, affecting long-term welfare through aspects such as immunity and resilience. An operational definition of pleasure is proposed. Categories of pleasure intensity are defined based predominantly on the degree of engagement with positive experiences. The Pleasure-Track notation system is proposed, allowing for the description of the temporal evolution of the intensity of positive affective experiences. Cumulative Pleasure is measured as the total time spent in positive affective states of different intensities. The framework avoids equating the intensity categories of pleasure and pain, and acknowledges the complexity of balancing positive and negative affective states. A graphic proposal is made for the visualization of Welfare Footprints, where they are expressed by a double bar chart representing the time spent in negative and positive affective states of different intensities (Cumulative Pain and Cumulative Pleasure)
Recommended citation:
Alonso, WJ & Schuck-Paim (2024). Beyond Suffering: A Framework for Quantifying Positive Animal Welfare in Individuals and Populations. Welfare Footprint Institute. Technical Paper Series: 241. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/MDGJR