This means animal rights opposes virtually all institutionalized use of animals. It sees the concept of "humane meat" as an oxymoron—an act of violence cannot be made kind by a comfortable cage. It sees animal research as a form of species-based slavery, regardless of the potential human benefit. The rights advocate is not interested in better cages; they are interested in empty cages. This distinction creates a tense, often uncomfortable, alliance. In the real world, the animal protection movement is a spectrum.
In the soft light of a sanctuary, a rescued battery hen takes her first steps on grass. Miles away, in a state-of-the-art laboratory, a macaque is trained to perform a task that might cure Parkinson’s disease. And on a factory farm, a sow lies confined in a gestation crate so narrow she cannot turn around. The rights advocate is not interested in better
Welfarists believe in a hierarchy of care. A dog chained to a post in winter is a welfare issue. A dairy cow with a painful udder infection is a welfare issue. The goal is to improve the conditions of captivity and husbandry, making them more humane. This philosophy is the engine behind legislation like the Animal Welfare Act, free-range certifications, and the gradual phase-out of veal crates. In the soft light of a sanctuary, a