Five freedoms

The Five Freedoms

The five freedoms are a welfare framework that is used to ensure that the basic needs of an animal are being met. Make sure you learn the five freedoms, as you may be asked about them:

• Freedom from hunger and thirst
• Freedom from discomfort
• Freedom from pain, injury or disease
• Freedom to express normal behaviour
• Freedom from fear and distress

How They May Be Asked in an Interview

The five freedoms may be asked in an interview as:

• What they are
• How vets use them
• How they relate to animal welfare
• If you saw them applied in your work experience

How to Answer a Five Freedoms Question

• Explain briefly what they are to show that you understand them
• Explain why they are important
• Link to work experience, this is where you can really stand out
• Show that you understand that the five freedoms are not perfect
• Conclude with why they matter to you

Example Answer to the Question ‘What are the five freedoms and have you ever seen them being used?’

‘The five freedoms are a welfare framework that allows vets to assess the welfare of an animal and make sure that the animal's needs are being met. The five freedoms express that animals should be free from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, injury and disease, fear and distress, and they should be free to express normal behaviours. During my work experience, I noticed that the vet team prioritised reducing the fear and pain of the animals. However, I understand that there are limitations, as sometimes, to help animals in pain, they do become fearful and distressed. The five freedoms remind me that welfare includes physical and mental well-being of the animals, and this is something I want to prioritise in my future career.’

When answering a question on the five freedoms, I would personalise my response by:

• Explaining which freedom resonates with me most and the reason why

• What the five freedoms have taught me

• How they have encouraged empathy

• How does this influence the type of vet I want to be?