Buddhist ethical traditions offer rich resources for thinking about animal welfare, with concepts like ahimsa (non-harm) and compassion for all sentient beings providing philosophical grounding for welfare concern.
Buddhist ethical frameworks provide philosophical support for animal welfare concern that resonates across cultural contexts. The recognition of sentience (sattva) across species as the basis for moral consideration aligns with welfare science's focus on subjective experience. Compassion (karuna) as an ethical response to suffering provides motivational grounding for welfare advocacy. The interdependence framework challenges the human-animal boundary that underlies much of the exploitation of animals in industrial systems. Engaging with religious and philosophical traditions alongside scientific evidence broadens the coalition for animal welfare reform and provides culturally appropriate frameworks in contexts where Western utilitarian approaches may not resonate.