Animal welfare science is systematically underfunded relative to other areas of animal research, with significant gaps in knowledge about the welfare of the most numerous animals.
The underfunding of animal welfare research creates a self-reinforcing cycle: without evidence, policy cannot be evidence-based; without policy, the business case for welfare investment is weak; without business case, industry does not fund research. Breaking this cycle requires dedicated welfare research funding from governments, philanthropies, and forward-looking food companies. Critical knowledge gaps include: effective welfare indicators for fish, invertebrate sentience, the welfare costs of specific routine procedures at scale, and the effectiveness of specific enrichment interventions. Animal Charity Evaluators, the Humane Society, and the Humane League are among organizations that support targeted welfare research.