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While often used interchangeably, animal welfare and animal rights represent two distinct approaches to how humans should interact with non-human species. Animal welfare
- World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE): Guidelines for Animal Welfare.
- International Animal Rescue: Annual report on animal welfare issues.
- The Humane Society of the United States: Report on animal welfare and rights.
- Support welfare: Adopt from shelters, choose certified humane products, report neglect.
- Advance rights: Reduce or eliminate animal products, support bans on cruel practices, educate others.
- Companion Animals: In many nations, pets are cherished family members. However, issues like puppy mills, abandonment, and abuse remain rampant.
- Wildlife: Habitat destruction, poaching, and the illegal wildlife trade are driving species toward extinction at an alarming rate. The concept of "wildlife rights" is gaining traction, acknowledging that wild animals have a right to exist in their natural habitats without human interference.
- Farm Animals: The majority of animal suffering occurs in industrial agriculture (factory farming). Billions of animals are raised in cramped, unsanitary conditions, often unable to turn around or see the sun. While welfare laws attempt to mitigate this, the sheer scale of the industry often renders these regulations insufficient.