Animal Welfare Science

Funding Animal Welfare Research: Priorities and Progress

Animal welfare science is chronically underfunded relative to its importance, limiting progress in understanding and improving animal lives.

Key Facts

Animal welfare science receives a fraction of funding compared to veterinary disease research
Major funders like Wellcome Trust have historically not prioritized welfare research
Industry funding for welfare research creates potential conflicts of interest
Academic positions in welfare science are limited
Open-access publishing of welfare research accelerates global impact

Welfare Considerations

The underfunding of welfare science has direct consequences for animal lives: interventions remain unvalidated, assumptions go unchallenged, and evidence-based practice is impossible where evidence does not exist. Philanthropic funding of welfare research, particularly in high-impact areas like fish welfare and positive welfare indicators, represents high-leverage investment.

What You Can Do

Donate to animal welfare science research programs at universities
Advocate for public research funding bodies to prioritize welfare science
Support open-access publication of animal welfare research
Engage with welfare science organizations and follow research developments