ANIMAL LIBERTY: Your Source of Information for Animal Welfare
Animal welfare is the concept of providing adequate conditions to animals that help them to avoid suffering. This includes humane handling, proper housing and nutrition, and disease prevention.
In the United States, there are a multitude of laws that govern the treatment of pets, laboratory animals, and marine animals. These laws vary widely, ranging from local to federal. Some states also have felony laws that prohibit cruelty to animals. However, state and federal law do not overlap.
The laws regarding the care and feeding of animals are also governed by the USDA, which is responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. In addition, federal legislation regulates the humane slaughter of farm animals and the care of circus animals. There are even laws that control the sale and transportation of pets.
An important question to ask when planning animal research is whether or not there is a need for animals to be used. While the scientific community is often ambivalent about the use of animals in their experiments, it is clear that they are needed for many applications. For example, a number of studies have shown that animals are useful in the treatment of disease, and in the study of the brain.
A number of animal welfare proponents are looking to establish animal rights. They are working to make it so that all animals have a voice in their engagement. However, critics may not believe this is being accomplished.
Although it may be tempting to assume that animals have a legal standing, this is not the case. The earliest laws regulating animals were based on the idea of animals as property. Historically, animal protection only exists to the extent that animal and human interests coincide.
However, in modern American society, there are few if any farmers. Most of the population lives in cities and urban neighborhoods. Farming has become more and more centralized. Large farms house thousands of animals in close confinement. Moreover, the cost of keeping an animal is now a major consideration.
Another important consideration is the ethics of the matter. For example, there are some individuals who advocate the use of stolen pets in research. Others would prefer to kill their pet rather than place it in the hands of researchers. Still others argue that any human need is more important than the needs of nonhuman animals.
However, the animal welfare industry still has a ways to go before it can claim to provide a level of animal welfare comparable to that provided by a farmer. This is partly due to the lack of a single entity that can properly inspect and certify an institution’s practices.
Among other things, there is a need for better communication between the parties. This is especially true in the context of animal research. Research facilities must register under Section 6 of the AWA. Similarly, a researcher should ask himself or herself whether the use of animals is necessary and, if so, how the animal would be treated.