There are many ongoing debates within and about the subject of animal welfare. This book distils some of the major themes of current debate into one volume, edited by internationally known names in the field of animal welfare. Each chapter is written by one or more leading experts who discuss, in an even-handed way, a provocative topic that will be of interest to anyone concerned with animal welfare. Issues covered include tail docking, farm animal production, neutering of feral cats and the need to conserve habitats of native wild animals in the face of threats from non-native species. Chapters address the different values and priorities involved in dealing with these issues, including scientific and more explicit ethical approaches. Each chapter ends with questions for discussion that may help readers to engage with these dilemmas. ; This book distils the major themes of current debate into one volume edited by international experts. Issues covered include tail docking, pet obesity, isolation vs. group aggression, neutering feral cats and the need to conserve wildlife habitats in the face of wild animal overpopulation. ;

• I: Preface
• 1: Introduction: values, dilemmas and solutions
• II: Dilemmas within animal welfare
• 2: Tales about tails: is the mutilation of animals justifiable in their best interests or ours?
• 3: Fat companions: understanding the welfare effects of obesity in cats and dogs
• 4: Welfare and quantity of life
• III: Animal welfare and social priorities
• 5: Improving farm animal welfare: is evolution or revolution needed in production systems?
• 6: Whom should we eat? Why veal can be better for welfare than chicken
• 7: Public health and animal welfare
• IV: Animal welfare and conservation
• 8: Balancing the need for conservation and the welfare of individual animals
• 9: Value conflicts in feral cat management: trap-neuter-return or trap-euthanize?
• V: Conceptual dilemmas
• 10: Alone or together: a risk assessment approach to group housing
• 11: What is suffering in animals?