Welfare Science

Animal Welfare Progress and Reasons for Hope

Despite scale of animal suffering globally, there are genuine reasons for optimism about the trajectory of animal welfare driven by scientific, legislative, and social progress.

Key Facts

EU legislation has progressively strengthened farm animal welfare protections since the 1990s
Corporate commitments to cage-free eggs and crate-free pork are reshaping industry norms
Alternative protein investment has reached tens of billions of dollars annually
Animal sentience recognition in law is expanding to new species and countries
Public concern about animal welfare is at historically high levels in many countries

Welfare Considerations

Animal welfare progress is real and measurable across multiple dimensions - more animals in better conditions, more scientific recognition of animal sentience, and more resources directed at welfare improvement than ever before. This progress should encourage continued ambitious action rather than complacency.

What You Can Do

Celebrate and amplify evidence of animal welfare progress to sustain momentum
Support organisations driving systemic welfare change rather than only alleviating individual suffering
Maintain optimism that collective action can significantly reduce the scale of animal suffering