Public animal welfare discussions and outlooks in Australia

Abstract

• Although most countries use animals as companions, for production and for sport and entertainment, the scale and variety of animals in Australia is unparalleled. • Community attitudes to livestock animal welfare can impact on how Governments either react to publicized "animal welfare events" or regulate management practices in industry. • There has been a trend for community behaviors that can impact on the livestock industries to become more prevalent over time. • The livestock industries increasingly see that changing community values need to be addressed in a proactive way in order not just to maintain markets, but also to protect license to farm.