Prioritisation of animal welfare issues in the UK using expert consensus.

Background: The welfare of all animals under human management is an area of consistent public concern, but strategies to improve welfare may vary across species. In this study, expert consensus, using a modified Delphi approach, was used to prioritise welfare issues of farmed and companion animals in the UK.

Methods: The study involved 117 experts, divided between eight species groups.

Determining a Welfare Prioritization for Horses Using a Delphi Method.

Equine welfare issues are receiving increasing attention in the UK, but welfare problems can arise from a wide range of causes. In order to identify the most important welfare concerns for horses, we used a Delphi method with 19 equine welfare experts. An initial list of 84 equine welfare issues was generated using an online discussion board and NVivo thematic analysis.

Prioritization of Farm Animal Welfare Issues Using Expert Consensus.

Prioritization of animal welfare issues can help identify which areas most require research funding and raise awareness of best practices. A modified Delphi method was used to obtain expert opinion on the highest priority welfare issues for UK farmed livestock. Fifty-eight UK-based experts were recruited onto the study, with a minimum of 3 years experience of working with either cattle, pigs, poultry, or small ruminants (12-16 experts per group).

Rabbit welfare: determining priority welfare issues for pet rabbits using a modified Delphi method.

Background: Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK, but little research into their welfare needs has been conducted.

Methods: A modified Delphi method was used to generate expert consensus on the most important welfare issues for rabbits in the UK. The study involved 11 experts, recruited from a range of disciplines.

Determining priority welfare issues for cats in the United Kingdom using expert consensus.

Background: Cats are the most popular pets in the UK, yet relatively little research has been conducted into the welfare of cats living in a home environment. The purpose of this study was to determine and prioritise welfare issues for cats using a Delphi method.

Methods: Cat welfare experts (n=14) were asked to identify and rank welfare issues for cats in the UK.