Farm animals receive far less veterinary care per individual than companion animals, creating widespread untreated suffering.
The veterinary care gap between companion and farm animals reflects the different economic relationships humans have with these categories of animals. When treatment cost exceeds an animal's market value, farm animals often go untreated for painful conditions that would receive immediate care in a dog or cat. Building better veterinary infrastructure for farm animals, including pain management standards and regular welfare assessments, requires both policy requirements and economic support for farmers.