Animal Welfare Policy

Definition

Animal welfare refers to the physical, physiological, behavioral, and psychological state of an animal as it adapts to its environment. High standards of animal welfare require that animals be maintained under conditions that support health, minimize pain and distress, and permit species-appropriate behavior.

Policy Statement

This journal is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare, ethics, and scientific integrity in all research involving animals. Manuscripts will be considered only where the work has been conducted in accordance with applicable institutional, national, and international regulations. Studies may be rejected on ethical grounds where animal suffering is not adequately justified, minimized, or reported.

Ethical and Regulatory Compliance

Authors must confirm that all animal procedures were reviewed and approved by an appropriate ethics committee before the study began. The name of the approving body and the approval number must be reported in the manuscript. Where no formal ethics approval was required, authors must provide a clear justification.

Core Welfare Requirements

Replacement: Use non-animal alternatives where feasible.
Reduction: Use the minimum number of animals necessary.
Refinement: Minimize pain, suffering, and distress.
Species-appropriate care: Ensure proper housing, feeding, and management.
Humane endpoints: Apply predefined criteria to prevent unnecessary suffering.

Housing and Care

Animals must be provided with appropriate housing, clean water, adequate nutrition, environmental enrichment, and veterinary care. Conditions must meet species-specific welfare needs.

Pain and Distress

Procedures likely to cause pain or distress must be justified and minimized using appropriate anesthesia and analgesia. The journal may request additional welfare information.

Field Studies

Field research must minimize disturbance and comply with permits and regulations. Studies involving protected species require special justification.

Reporting Requirements

Manuscripts must include ethics approval, animal details, housing conditions, procedures, and welfare safeguards. Insufficient reporting may result in rejection.