Economic Factors in Animal Welfare

I have come to the conclusion that animal abuse is deaply enmeshed in human culture and their economy. So, how exacly does animal welfare contribute to our economy ? Letme explain.


Living in a western society, humans may not know it, but we interact with other species almost always through abusive relationships. Our attitudes and beliefs are based upon the fact that animals are there for our consumption (food), our need for companionship or our need for amusement.


1. Most people, and of course not all, eat animal flesh and use animals parts and fur for clothing.

The way we humans interact with animals indirectly is as a source of food. Of course, its all part of the life cycle, nevertheless the greatest amount of animal cruelty takes place in providing meat for our consumption for the lowest price possible. This is were the most harm is done. It costs money to care for these animals properly, and with the high competition between agribuisness corperations, it means only the cheepest survive. To the consumers, only the lowest prices are important, not the quality of life that these animals are forced upon.

2. Animal research is less comon now a days, but is still widely used across the world.

Large sectors of our economy are also dragged into these abusive relationships by unknowingly supporting animal research. Many drugs and cosmetics are tested on animals before being put out on shelves for own consumption. It was only recently that a great deal of attention was brought onto animal testing, however it is not the end. Many new products that may contain toxicity are primarily tested on animals before being approved and put on the market.

3. Zoos and circuses which we go to for amusement, are mainly institutions which animal abuse is largely based.

Again, it's all about the money and what it would cost to support these animals in a proper way. Money is being made when people go to zoos and/or circuses, but that money being made is for the producers, and of course not the animals. The conditions these animals live and work in are to no where near positive. They are forced to participate in tasks and then never rewarded greatly for the unbelievable things they accomplish.

Stated simply, our attitudes are that animals are essentially an item of property.Many people have animals as pets/companions. Of course, these are considered "part of the family" but when it becomes inconvienient to keep them, they are unfortunetly disposed of like objects.