ABSTRACT
Although nothing unites or is common to the species discussed in this chapter, fur animals, deer, and rabbits, other than that they are less domesticated than other, more familiar farmed animal species, the consequences of their keeping can have common problems. Principally these are our relative unfamiliarity and background knowledge and understanding of their needs, and perhaps less approval by the general public to their keeping by humans. These animals have few of the attributes that made cattle, sheep, and pigs more amenable to domestication: gregariousness, short flight distance, social hierarchies, and lack of territoriality. It cannot be expected therefore that the domestication of these species will be a simple process. The husbandry systems are described, welfare problems listed, and, if appropriate or feasible, means to ameliorate these problems are suggested. Welfare evaluations, if devised and if used, are also identified and described.
