How we address animal welfare today creates legacy effects - both in terms of the animals we save and the welfare frameworks, policies, and norms we establish for the future.
Animal welfare is fundamentally a long-term project where decisions made today have consequences extending across decades and affecting billions of future animals. Legislative welfare improvements like the EU battery cage ban established welfare floors that have protected hundreds of millions of hens annually since implementation. Alternative protein technologies developed through current investment could transform the welfare of billions of farmed animals in future decades. The welfare movement's legacy will be measured not just in immediate animal welfare improvements but in the institutional infrastructure, cultural norms, and technological pathways created for sustained welfare progress. Thinking generationally about welfare impact is essential for prioritizing where to invest effort.