What to Know About Animal Welfare & How to Help
The term animal welfare refers to the proper treatment of animals under human control, such as the prevention of animal cruelty and abuse on farms and in laboratories, as well as entertainment industries like zoos. It differs slightly from the term animal rights, which argues that animals should live free from any human control. Recognizing that animals make up an important part of human life and society, animal welfare advocates seek to protect animals from abuse and prevent unnecessary suffering.
Important things to know about animal welfare: the five freedoms
According to thehumaneleague.org, these are universally acknowledged minimum standards of living for animals in captivity. Freedom from thirst and hunger
Freedom from discomfort by providing adequate shelter
Freedom from disease, pain, or injury
Freedom from distress and fear
Freedom to engage in natural behaviors
Each of these has room for interpretation, which is where animal welfare activists come into play. Ending the abuse of animals raised for food, such as the extreme confinement of chickens and methods of slaughter that can cause prolonged pain, is just one of the issues on the table.
Some of the bigger issues animal welfare activists advocate against are animal testing, lack of behavioral enrichment, blood sport, poor farm conditions, poaching, whaling, and others. Some tragedies have been recorded in documentaries like Blackfish (2013), about the controversial confinement of killer whales, or books such as Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg which discusses the impact of commercial fishing on the environment.
How can you make a difference?
For most of us, animal welfare often doesn’t mean an extreme approach to life or even large personal sacrifices like veganism. Rather, animal welfare activists argue for the ethical treatment of animals and the protection of species broadly. Educating yourself about issues such as these is a good place to start. Locally sourced, ethically-raised food is challenging but helps support healthy environmental practices. Without financial incentives, it’s difficult for farmers and ranchers to raise the amount of food consumed in the world. Another way to help is donating to charities like The Human League which fights for the end to animal abuse through legislation, and PAWS which rehabilitates orphaned and injured wildlife, among other services.
