Final answer:
Animal welfare includes all facets of animal well-being and is especially important in animal research, where ethical standards and regulatory bodies such as the IACUC ensure humane treatment. Regulations like the AWA and PHS Policy provide governance to animal research practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Animal welfare encompasses all aspects of animal well-being, including their physical health, psychological state, and the ability to engage in natural behaviors. The great majority of animals in controlled environments, like those used in research, spend their lives in good health and tranquility. High ethical standards guide animal research, and researchers are required to design experiments that minimize pain and distress, in line with mandates set by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
In terms of health, for animals, it is aligned with optimal performance activities like obtaining food and water, evading predators, mating, and nurturing young. However, health is a relative term and can range from optimum health to near death. Regulatory frameworks like the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy) are in place in the United States to ensure the humane treatment of animals in research, while the UK and EU have similar regulations.