Animal welfare policy statements

General:

AVMA Animal Welfare Principles

Joint AVMA-FVE-CVMA statement on the roles of veterinarians in promoting animal welfare

Ownership vs. Guardianship

Animal Abuse and Animal Neglect

Euthanasia of Animals That Are Unwanted or Unfit for Adoption

Livestock Handling Tools

Pain in Animals

Physical Restraint of Animals

Removal or Reduction of Teeth in Non-Human Primates and Carnivores

Use of Electro Muscular Disruption Devices (EMDDs) on Animals

See also:

• Literature Review: Welfare Implications of The Use of Electro-Muscular Disruptive Devices or "TASER® Devices" on Animals

Animals used in entertainment:

Animals used in research and teaching:

• Research Dogs and Cats Adoption
• Safety Testing 
• Transportation of Research Animals for the Purpose of Biomedical Research, Testing, and Education​​
• USDA/APHIS Animal Welfare Program
• Use of Animals in Precollege Education
• Use of Animals in Research, Testing, and Education
• Use of Random-Source Dogs and Cats for Research, Testing, and Education

Companion animals:

• Companion Animal Care Guidelines​
• Companion Animal Spay-Neuter Programs
• Dog and Cat Population Control
• Free-roaming Abandoned and Feral Cats
• Free Roaming, Owned Cats
• Declawing of Domestic Cats
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Declawing of Domestic Cats
• Pediatric Spay/Neuter of Dogs and Cats
• Ear Cropping and Tail Docking of Dogs
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Dogs: Ear Cropping
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Dogs: Tail Docking
  • Ear cropping and canine otitis externa FAQ
  • Canine tail docking FAQ
  • History of Policy on Ear Cropping and Tail Docking of Dogs(PDF)
• Relocaton of Pets for Adoption
• Safe Transport of Pets in Motor Vehicles​
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Dogs Traveling in Truck Beds
• Canine Devocalization
  See also:
  • ​​Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Canine Devocalization​
• Inherited Disorders In Responsible Breeding Of Companion Animals​

Equids:

• Horse Tripping
• Humane Transport of Equines
• Management of Mares Used in the Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) Collection Industry
• Practice of Soring
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Soring in Horses
  • Factsheet: Soring in Horses PDF)
• Tail Alteration in Horses
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Horse Tail Modifications
• Therapeutic Medications in Racehorses
• Therapeutic Medications in Non-Racing Performance Horses
• Transportation and Processing of Horses
• Unregulated Horse Racing (bush tracks)
• Use of Action Devices and Performance Packages for Tennessee Walking Horses
• Use of Horses in Urban Environments
• Donkey Skin Trade​

Wildlife and exotic animals:

• Trapping and Steel-Jawed Leghold Traps
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Leghold Trap Use in Conservation and Research
• Removal of Antlers (Velveting)
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Deer Velvet
• Declawing Captive Exotic and Wild Indigenous Cats
• Elephant Guides and Tethers
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Elephant Training

Food animals:

• Transport, Sale Yard Practices, and Humane Slaughter of Hoofstock and Poultry
• Disabled Livestock
• Electroimmobilization
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Electroimmobilization

Cattle:

• Castration and Dehorning of Cattle
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Castration
  • Literature Review: Dehorning
• Ovariectomy in Cattle
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Ovariectomy in Cattle
• Veal Calf Management
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Veal Calf Husbandry
• Tail Docking of Cattle
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Tail Docking of Cattle

Sheep:

• Docking of Lambs' Tails
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Tail Docking of Lambs

Swine:

• Pregnant Sow Housing
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Gestation Sow Housing
  • Housing for Pregnant Sows, A Comprehensive Review of
• Swine Castration
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Teeth Clipping, Tail Docking and Permanent Identification of Piglets
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Swine Castration
• Tail Docking and Teeth Clipping of Swine

Poultry:

• Use of Water-Based Foam for Depopulation of Poultry
• Layer Hen Housing Systems
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Laying Hen Housing
  • A Comparison of Conventional Cage, Furnished Cage, and Non-cage (Barn and Outdoor/Free-range) Systems for Housing Laying Hens
• Beak Trimming
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Beak Trimming
• Induced Molting of Layer Chickens
  See also:
  • Literature Review: Welfare Implications of Induced Molting of Layer Chickens