Culling — deliberate killing of animals for management purposes — is sometimes defended on welfare grounds. Understanding when this argument is valid and when it is misused is important for welfare advocates.
The culling debate requires distinguishing between different types and contexts of killing. Welfare euthanasia of suffering individuals who cannot recover is unambiguously welfare-positive. Population management culls in areas without natural predators — where the alternative is starvation — can also be welfare-positive when conducted humanely. Disease control culls involve huge numbers of often healthy animals killed under stressful conditions, with welfare costs that may or may not be justified by disease control benefits. Invasive species culls involve welfare harm to individual animals to protect native species. Advocates should engage with specific culling contexts rather than opposing or supporting culling categorically.