Legislation varies widely. Economic development often takes precedence, but growing awareness is driving new anti-cruelty frameworks. Emerging Horizons
— regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Notably, it does not cover farm animals (excluding those in research), companion animals outside the context of dealers, or rats, mice, and birds bred for research. Legislation varies widely
is a philosophy of condition. It asks: Is the animal suffering? It allows for the use of animals as long as their pain is minimized, their hunger addressed, their housing enriched. A laboratory rat with a chew toy and a spacious cage meets a welfare standard. A city rat scavenging a full dumpster is, by a pure welfare metric, doing fine. and by dealers. Notably