Policy and Welfare

Animal Welfare Research: The Funding Gap

Animal welfare science is chronically underfunded relative to its importance, limiting progress in understanding and improving conditions for billions of animals.

Key Facts

Animal welfare research receives less than 0.5% of UK agricultural research funding
Most welfare research focuses on production animals rather than the most numerous affected species
The NC3Rs funds alternatives to animal research but only in the biomedical context
Major welfare improvements including pre-slaughter stunning came decades after the welfare evidence existed

Welfare Considerations

The gap between what we know about animal suffering and what policy and industry implements reflects a funding and advocacy gap as much as a scientific one. Research that clearly demonstrates animal pain, stress, and emotional experience must translate to industry change and legislative action. Faster translation requires both better funding and stronger advocacy connections.

What You Can Do

Donate to welfare research institutes including the Animal Welfare Institute and UFAW
Advocate for public research funding bodies to allocate more to animal welfare science
Support academic positions and programs in animal welfare science at universities
Engage with welfare research findings and share them to accelerate their impact