Animal welfare science, public discussion and political decisions

The way scientific data are interpreted and used is subject to ethical valuation. The relation between scientific data on animal welfare and political decisions, which are sometimes made through the mediation of official advisory bodies, is not straightforward but is influenced by many sociological factors such as ideologies, current Zeitgeist, public opinion, lobbying by parts of society having an interest in the subject and by animal protection societies. A comparison is made of national and international official advisory bodies.