By Nabamita Sinha
The animal welfare landscape is evolving. Animal shelters and welfare organizations no longer just take care of lost or abused animals. Today, the need goes deeper. It’s about advocacy for animal rights and the protection of wildlife habitats within nature. It’s about educating communities and implementing relevant laws in countries around the world.
However, it’s not that simple. When considering the welfare of animals, we must also consider human needs and perceptions and be able to strike a balance between the two.
Animal welfare is closely linked to human welfare, as diseases contracted by animals are now passed on to us through the food we eat or through close contact with certain wildlife species. Disease in animal communities can also affect our economies and the environment.
Animal welfare and advocacy
Some welfare organizations are taking it upon themselves to advocate for animal rights, while others are founded specifically for advocacy. They teach awareness and encourage sustainability in animal farming practices and other areas where animal welfare is affected by other, unsustainable practices. Organizations such as the Global Animal Law (GAL) Association and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) are having an important impact in the area of advocacy and lawmaking.
According to an article published by WOAH, countries around the world treat animal welfare quite differently, usually depending on their socio-economic status and what they can afford in their budgets. WOAH is committed to improving the welfare of animals in countries across the globe, where often the effects on the environment are not being properly managed. This includes assistance with issues such as the transportation of animals, administering medication, sustainable production systems, the slaughter of animals, and, where disease necessitates, the slaughter and disposal of animal carcasses.
WOAH fosters conversations around global welfare standards in an effort to find common ground in the diversity of the perceptions of various countries. It uses scientific expertise to guide national animal welfare authorities in the implementation of welfare laws and policies.
In a slightly different vein, GAL has introduced the UN Convention on Animal Health and Protection (UNCAHP) as an initiative to protect animals globally at a United Nations (UN) level. It aims to have animal protection adopted by the UN by 2029, as it is currently treated broadly by the UN but does not appear on its agenda. GAL is calling for animals to be treated with dignity and for the recognition of their intrinsic value to society. The draft takes into account cultural differences in countries. In many countries, the ritual slaughter of animals is still carried out, while in others, certain animals are considered sacred.
Sustainable lifestyles
Individuals also strive to make a difference in the lives of animals, and this includes educating the public on how to manage sustainability in everyday life. As the CEO of the Humane Society of New York (HSNY), Virginia Chipurnoi recognizes the need to inform people of the devastating effects that humans are having on the environment and on animal life. She aims to teach us how to adopt sustainable practices in our daily lives.
Just about everything we do in our daily lives has an impact on the environment, from the food we eat and the products we use for skincare and bathing to household cleaning agents, travel, and powering our homes. Water and energy are used in abundance in most manufacturing processes. Fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture and chemicals utilized in industry all wash into rivers, and the water recycling process does not eliminate them all. Indigenous forests are cleared to make way for crops, upsetting the delicate ecosystems within these areas.
All of this affects the creatures that live within these areas. As we go about our daily lives, creatures’ habitats are being destroyed, and many species are facing extinction. In a nutshell, man’s existence has a huge impact on animal life across the planet.
By giving people practical advice on how to reduce their negative impact on the environment, animal activists such as Virginia Chipurnoi are playing a role in reducing the devastation of natural animal habitats through deforestation and the leaching of chemicals into the environment, thus mitigating the harmful effects that are taking their toll on wildlife.
Sustainable agriculture
Industrial agriculture, in particular, has a significant effect on the environment with factors such as water and air pollution, habitat destruction for grazing and planting of crops, and land degradation. Improving animal welfare on these farms should help to reduce pressure on the land and promote more efficient use of resources.
Welfare organizations advocate for the preservation of wildlife habitats, maintaining a balance within sensitive ecosystems, and promoting good practices such as rotational grazing.
They also advocate for sufficient space and feed for animals, thus improving the efficiency of farming practices and reducing waste. Sound farming practices also reduce the risk of disease among animals and, in some cases, the spread of disease to humans. These practices can be costly, but public awareness is increasing, and many people look for sustainable options when making their buying decisions. This, in turn, rewards the suppliers that are practicing sustainability.
Get involved
By taking care of animal welfare, we also care for ourselves. Each small change in our daily routine helps, and each goal achieved on the animal welfare front helps us in so many ways.
It’s time to take our footprint seriously, and there is no better motivation than the positive effects that our efforts will have on animals around the world. Perhaps it’s also time to get involved with a welfare organization and help to speed up the process of education and advocacy, because the need is great and urgent. Every little bit helps.
