Stereotypies and other abnormal behavior in welfare assessment

The occurrence of abnormal behavior and especially stereotypic behavior at the point of initial display may indicate that the animal is experiencing challenges and sub-optimal welfare within its environment. When these behaviors are displayed over longer periods of time, they likely no longer occur as a result of the environment that the animal is maintained in. The putative functionality of some abnormal behaviors should also be considered alongside underlying causal factors before taking steps to manage the behavior. A full appreciation of the normal behavioral repertoire alongside other measures of welfare for the individual under observation will further assist with the interpretation of behavior in welfare assessment.