Anuario Raza Polo Argentino Anuario2017 | Page 264

Equine welfare:
a global challenge
By María de la Paz Salinas,
Veterinary Surgeon
Introduction
For several decades, and each time more
frequently, Animal Welfare is an issue that is brought
up systematically when any type of production is
discussed, or any situation in which animals are
involved within different human activities.
Animal Welfare appears on the scene due to
pressure from consumers at the start of the
second half of the XXth. century, as a result of the
dehumanizing treatment bestowed on animals in
different intensive productions, and which became
popular after the end of the Second World War.
In response, the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council
shortly after proposed a basic standard known as
the “Five Freedoms”, or five basic needs for Animal
Welfare.
The issue summons up social, ethical, economic/
financial, and political connotations, as well as
regulations in different regions of the planet (EU;
Mercosur, etc), and is necessarily backed by a
strong scientific base. In short it directly involves
public opinion and transcends any cultural
representations we may have in this regard. Animal
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Welfare has become an international tax barrier for
any activity that includes animal production, and
is becoming indispensable in order to