Animal welfare receives a small fraction of global philanthropic giving relative to the scale of animal suffering. Understanding where donations have the greatest impact is important for welfare-motivated givers.
Animal welfare philanthropy is a field where careful prioritisation can dramatically increase impact. Most charitable giving in the animal space goes to companion animal welfare — shelters, rescue organisations, and veterinary support — despite farm animals representing the overwhelming majority of animals experiencing human-caused suffering. Organisations working to improve conditions for farm animals, reduce wild animal suffering, and advance alternative proteins often achieve much greater welfare impact per dollar given. Effective altruism-informed animal welfare giving draws on evidence about what works, scale of impact, and where funding is most needed. Corporate outreach campaigns that secure cage-free commitments have proven particularly cost-effective, improving conditions for very large numbers of animals through targeted advocacy.