Animal welfare is grounded in the belief that humans have the right to use animals for food, research, and companionship, provided they are treated "humanely". It focuses on the physical and mental state of the animal. The Five Freedoms:
The animal welfare doctrine is deeply embedded in Western law. The ancient prohibition against cruelty to animals, found in the writings of Thomas Aquinas and later in the British Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835, is welfare-based. It suggests that while animals are property, the owner has a moral duty not to inflict gratuitous pain. Animal welfare is grounded in the belief that
is its radicalism. It demands a complete restructuring of human society—the end of the pet trade, the closure of every ranch and fishery, and the cessation of all biomedical testing. For billions of people who rely on animal protein or love their companion animals, this is a non-starter. The ancient prohibition against cruelty to animals, found
