Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

An animal welfare specialist from Massey University says a new book examining welfare issues could be helpful in bridging the gap between urban and rural understanding of the subject.

The Sciences of Animal Welfare, was co-written by Professor Kevin Stafford, along with his colleague David Mellor and Emily Patterson-Kane, a New Zealand animal welfare scientist working for the American Veterinary Medical Association.

It coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the Animal Welfare Act coming into force.

Professor Stafford says the book looks at animal welfare over the past 50 years and what science has done to improve the animal's quality of life.

While the book is predominantly aimed at veterinary students, he says it could also be useful to policy makers and those interested in animal welfare.