In February 2026, the ANZCVS approved the Animal Welfare Chapter's Chapter-led Position Statement on the Recognition of Animal Sentience.
Position Statement:
Animals are sentient. Sentience is the capacity to have a range of positive and negative
affective experiences, including pleasure and pain.
Vertebrates, cephalopod molluscs, and decapod crustaceans meet the scientific criteria to
be classed as sentient. Recognising animal sentience advances welfare by emphasising the
importance of minimising negative experiences and promoting positive experiences and
expression of agency where possible during animal management and care.
This recognition is integral to achieving improvements in animal welfare laws, policies,
standards, training and education. Frameworks, such as the Five Domains Model, provide
structured approaches for evaluating how animals are faring.
To view the full Position Statement document that includes the Background and References, please click here.
