The Social Implications of Improved Animal Welfare 25
of the animal. Others are the result of compromised emotional health re-
lated to abnormalities of neurotransmitter function (Sarah Heath, pers.
comm., 2017). The involvement of veterinary specialists in behavioural
medicine can address not only the emotional health issue of the com-
panion animal, but also highlight the negative effects on human health and
welfare. Collaboration with human health professionals may be needed
in some cases, but the opportunity for owners and their families to dis-
cuss the situation in detail can be therapeutic in itself (Sarah Heath, pers.
comm., 2017). It is important for the issue of non-human animal emo-
tional health to be given equal consideration to their physical health, and
for veterinary intervention in behavioural cases to be undertaken using a
One Welfare approach.
Education becomes a key component where welfare problems may arise
as a result of non-intentional abuse through miscommunication and misun-
derstanding which stems from human lack of understanding of the other
species they live with. This may materialize as ignorance, neglect or abuse
when, in fact, the actual root cause is a lack of basic care knowledge.
Separation-related behaviours
When animals are left alone for prolonged periods some may suffer from
separation-related behaviours or related behavioural problems which can
