The allocation of animal welfare research funding shapes which species and systems receive attention and improvement.
Research funding shapes welfare outcomes. Without evidence, welfare advocates cannot demonstrate that specific practices cause suffering, that specific interventions help, or that specific policies are effective. Farm animals are the most numerous affected by human activities but receive less welfare research funding per animal than companion animals. Wild animals receive almost none. Strategic investment in animal welfare research — particularly for farm and wild animals — is essential for evidence-based progress.