BC SPCA Farm Animal Welfare

Did you know?

More than 95% of the animals kept by Canadians are farm animals. In B.C. alone, more than 100 million animals are raised on farms each year. The BC SPCA works to improve the welfare of these animals by pressing for stronger laws for their protection and by certifying farms that meet our high standards of welfare through the SPCA Certified program.

What are farm animals?

Many different kinds of animals can be considered to be farm animals. Farm animals are generally raised for one of the following purposes:

1. Food (e.g. meat, eggs, and dairy products)

2. Fiber (e.g. wool, fleece)

3. Work (e.g. draft animals for traditional farming or forestry)

4. Fur/Pelts/Hides

Some animals that are often considered to be farm animals such as horses do not easily fit into one of the above categories. Traditionally, horses were used primarily for work, either as farm draft or herding animals or as transportation.

Now, the draft and transportation purposes of keeping horses are virtually obsolete but people continue to keep these animals for recreational and entertainment purposes and many ranchers continue to use horses for herding. Despite the fact that most horses no longer serve their traditional role as work animals on a farm, they are still commonly classified as farm animals.

For more information, visit our pages on common production practices used for the raising of beef cattle, egg-laying hens, and pigs.

What is animal welfare?

In short, animal welfare means animal well-being. It has been perhaps mostly aptly described as the state of an animal’s subjective experience: what an animal feels. Thus, poor welfare might result from negative subjective states such as pain, discomfort, hunger, stress, or distress. Animal welfare is often assessed by evaluating an animal's behaviour or physiology for signs of these negative states.

Good welfare is indicated by the absence of signs of negative subjective states. Signs of positive subjective states, such as pleasure, satisfaction, and comfort can also indicate good welfare. Animals that are largely healthy, pain-free, comfortable, and unstressed are generally said to have good welfare.

For a more thorough definition of animal welfare, please see the Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare entry written by animal welfare scientist, David Fraser.

Good animal welfare is widely thought to be achieved if animals are provided with the internationally recognized Five Freedoms, described by the Farm Animal Welfare Council of the UK. They state that animals should enjoy:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst

2. Freedom from discomfort

3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease

4. Freedom from distress

5. Freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being

In recent years, members of the public have become increasingly aware of the methods used to raise farm animals, and have demonstrated concern for their health and welfare.

What can I do to help?

If you are concerned about the welfare of farm animals, there are a number of ways you can help.

As consumers, we have the ability to determine market trends. In the case of food products, consumers have the power to demand that these animals be raised in a manner which promotes better welfare. You can use this power by making humane shopping choices when you purchase SPCA Certified or Certified Organic products. If your local grocery store or supermarket doesn’t carry them, make a request that they do using our customer feedback card! These businesses listen to customers and will stock these items if they are in demand.

The SPCA Certified program and other farm animal work of the BC SPCA is supported by the generous support of donor dollars. If you would like to support the Farm Animal Welfare work of the BC SPCA, please contact us.

Your gift will help the Farm Animal Welfare team continue to work towards higher standards of care for the hundreds of millions of animals raised in Canada each year. Your support will mean that all farm animals, big and small, have a voice -- a voice that will be heard.


British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - BC, Canada Search: Charitable Tax # BN 11881 9036 RR0001