Animal welfare is the viewpoint that animals, especially those under human care, should not suffer unnecessarily, including where the animals are used for food, work, companionship, or research. This position usually focuses on the morality of human action (or inaction), as opposed to making deeper political or philosophical claims about the status of animals, as is the case for an animal rights viewpoint. For this reason animal welfare organizations may use the word humane in their title or position statements.

History of animal welfare

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Systematic concern for the well-being of other animals probably first arose as a system of thought in the Indus Valley Civilization as the religious belief that ancestors return in animal form, and that animals must therefore be treated with the respect due to a human. This belief is exemplified in the existing religion, Jainism, and in varieties of other Dharmic religions. Other religions, especially those with roots in the Abrahamic religion, treat animals as the property of their owners, codifying rules for their care and slaughter premised mainly on hygiene concerns for humans.

Welfare in practice

As in the case of animal rights, the secular forms taken by animal welfare concerns, policies and action have each been pioneered in the UK, where an early industrial revolution first created the modern separation between popular experience and animal husbandry, opening a space for popular sentimentality towards animals.

More on [ Animal welfare ]

Animal Welfare - Twitter Search

Veterinarian group helps animals, improves public health worldwide: http://t.co/6L09w6U0
AVMACAN (AVMA-CAN) Wed, 16 May 2012 18:08:53 -0000
Veterinarian group helps animals, improves public health worldwide: http://t.co/6L09w6U0
Are you passionate about animal welfare? Are you keen to make a difference to how animals are treated in India?... http://t.co/WnlmL64p
cynthiajobs (cynthia fernandes) Wed, 16 May 2012 18:08:25 -0000
Are you passionate about animal welfare? Are you keen to make a difference to how animals are treated in India?... http://t.co/WnlmL64p
@needmoregreens @andreaphillips6 sadly i agree..these places that r meant 2 care dont..very upsetting animal welfare i fear is getting worse
Andreaphillips6 (Andrea Phillips) Wed, 16 May 2012 17:51:16 -0000
@needmoregreens @andreaphillips6 sadly i agree..these places that r meant 2 care dont..very upsetting animal welfare i fear is getting worse
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria will be the beneficiary of 10% of sales at Lawrence Miller & Co. this Saturday. Woof!...
OTBoutiqueDstr (OT Boutique District) Wed, 16 May 2012 17:50:07 -0000
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria will be the beneficiary of 10% of sales at Lawrence Miller & Co. this Saturday. Woof!...
As with our previous post, another great local animal welfare organization to support (with some darn cute cats... http://t.co/qtG2sx0a
DextersDeli (Dexter's Deli) Wed, 16 May 2012 17:49:46 -0000
As with our previous post, another great local animal welfare organization to support (with some darn cute cats... http://t.co/qtG2sx0a
Half way through revising Animal Welfare and I am bored already, still need to revise War and Peace yet aswell omg
empbx_ (Emma Preston) Wed, 16 May 2012 17:49:28 -0000
Half way through revising Animal Welfare and I am bored already, still need to revise War and Peace yet aswell omg

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