Animal welfare: A human responsibility

Animal welfare means how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that includes consideration for all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthanasia.

AVMA animal welfare principles

The AVMA offers eight integrated principles for developing and evaluating animal welfare policies, resolutions, and actions.

AVMA animal welfare policies

View the AVMA's policies regarding animal welfare issues.

Soring horses: Unethical practice making horses suffer

When someone deliberately causes pain to artificially exaggerate the leg motion of a horse's gait, it's called soring. Soring is unethical and illegal, but it continues. Learn more about it and how you can help stop it.

Answers to frequently asked questions about animal welfare issues:

Canine tail docking
Ear cropping and canine otitis externa
Pets and foreclosed homes
Unwanted horses and horse slaughter