Animal welfare is a utilitarian, anthropocentric (human-centered) philosophy. It accepts the premise that humans have the right to use animals for food, clothing, research, and entertainment—provided that the animals are treated "humanely." The goal of welfare is not to end the use of animals, but to minimize suffering during their lives and deaths.
as one of the few nations to specifically enshrine animal welfare and rights within its Constitution, treating the protection of living creatures as a fundamental duty of its citizens. This represents a shift from viewing animals as objects to viewing them as legal subjects. 4. Integrating Welfare and Rights This represents a shift from viewing animals as
This philosophical position asserts that animals have inherent value and should not be treated as property or human utility. It advocates for legal personhood for animals, opposing their use in food, clothing, experimentation, or entertainment. The Legal Framework in India: Progress and Gaps It advocates for legal personhood for animals, opposing
: Because welfare is often defined by humans, it can become a tool for "efficient use" rather than true protection. The Ethical Gap opposing their use in food
For many people, neither pure welfare nor pure rights fits their intuition. They hunt deer to prevent overpopulation. They fish. They wear leather from cows that were also used for meat. They believe in kindness but accept death.