Welfare economics applies economic analysis to compare the cost-effectiveness of animal welfare interventions, enabling advocates to prioritise efforts for greatest impact.
Welfare economics brings rigorous analytical tools to the question of how to reduce animal suffering most effectively. By estimating the number of animals affected by different interventions, the severity and duration of suffering involved, and the cost of achieving change, welfare economists can compare the impact of different advocacy, policy, and consumer strategies. This analysis consistently identifies farmed animal welfare — particularly for chickens, pigs, and fish — as a priority area given the enormous numbers affected and relatively low funding levels compared to companion animal causes. Corporate welfare campaigns that change supply chain standards for millions of animals per dollar spent are identified as particularly cost-effective. Donors and advocates who engage with welfare economics can direct their resources toward the highest-impact opportunities.