Measuring the real-world welfare impact of interventions and advocacy is essential for directing resources where they can do the most good for animals.
Effective animal welfare advocacy requires not just good intentions but rigorous measurement of what actually works. The field is increasingly recognizing that resources directed at less effective interventions come at the cost of greater welfare improvements achievable elsewhere. Animal Charity Evaluators and similar organizations are building the evidence base for welfare intervention cost-effectiveness - a critical infrastructure for donors and advocates making strategic decisions. The most impactful interventions tend to affect large numbers of animals, address high-severity welfare harms, and have high probability of successful implementation. Corporate food industry campaigns often score well on these dimensions: one successful commitment from a major food company can affect millions of animals annually. Welfare science measurement tools are needed to track whether committed welfare improvements are actually implemented and maintained.