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Animal Rights Vs. Animal Welfare:
What’s the difference?
Comparing the agendas of the animal-rights and animal-welfare movements is like comparing apples and oranges.
The two groups have very different views and opinions about modern animal agriculture.
Animal-rights activists can generally be described as individuals who may show an interest in the welfare of animals, but in actuality, would rather see all animals liberated from human control.
Those who identify with the animal-rights movement tend to be vegetarians who do not want animals to be used for clothing, meat, research or entertainment.
In their perfect world, man and beast would coexist side by side with the human race, which would sustain itself on a plant-based diet.
Animal-rights groups tend to be a more radical lobby that will use violent means to free animals or draw attention to their cause.
Groups like PETA, Farm Sanctuary and FARM are high-profile animal-rights groups.
Animal-welfare groups are a small, but organized, lobby that focuses on the well-being and so-called “humane treatment” of animals.
These groups tend to tolerate animal agriculture, however they oppose “factory farming” and choose to concentrate their energy on the welfare of livestock.
In general, animal-welfare organizations do not wish to stop animal agriculture, just return it to a more primitive state.
