“Animals are sentient beings, who can feel joy, pain, like us. And it is important that we, when we are responsible for these animals, do as much as possible to ensure their well-being”, Louis Schweitzer states, the President of the LFDA. This is why the LFDA organised a colloquium on animal welfare and the future of breeding. When it comes to the conditions in which animals live, the term “animal welfare” is omnipresent but is often misused.

In French law, the law of July 10, 1976 relating to the protection of nature indicates that “any animal being a sentient being must be placed by its owner in conditions compatible with the biological imperatives of its species”. Since then, scientific advances have made it possible to better understand and define animal welfare. In 2018, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety defined animal welfare as “the positive mental and physical state linked to the satisfaction of physiological and behavioural needs, as well as their expectations. This state varies according to the animal’s perception of the situation”. The animals’ feelings are therefore taken into account, mainly thanks to behavioural and physiological indicators.