AVMA POLICY ON ANIMAL WELFARE AND ANIMAL RIGHTS
from The Veterinarian's Role in Animal Welfare
American Veterinary Medical Association
1931 Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-4360
847-925-8070
January 1997 16pp

Animal welfare is a human responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthanasia.

Animal rights is a philosophical view and personal value characterized by statements by various animal rights groups. Animal welfare and animal rights are not synonymous terms The AVMA wholeheartedly endorses and adopts promotion of animal welfare as official policy; however, the AVMA cannot endorse the philosophical views and personal values of animal rights advocates when they are incompatible with the responsible use of animals for human purposes, such as food, fiber, and research conducted for the benefit of both humans and animals.

Dog and Cock Fighting: The AVMA actively supports laws against the use of dogs for dog fights and poultry for cock fights. Further, the AVMA recommends that dog fighting or cock fighting be considered felony offenses.


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