#dog-welfare

#dog-welfare

The new role was prompted in part by a disturbing case last year involving a dog that had been stabbed by her guardian live on social media. The dog's former guardian was ultimately sentenced to two to seven years in prison, and the dog has since been placed with a new family.

Last November, the UK government announced a bold plan to phase out animal testing in some areas of research. Animal tests for skin irritation are scheduled for elimination this year, and some studies on dogs should be slashed by 2030. The long-term vision is 'a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances'.

Research by pollster YouGov suggests an overwhelming majority of dog owners (96 per cent) say they are responsible yet 86 per cent of people have encountered issues including dog mess, dogs jumping up on them without permission and dogs off the lead.

A court in Barcelona has ruled that a worker's absence from her job to take her critically ill dog to be euthanised was justified on humane grounds, overturning her dismissal and highlighting evolving legal recognition of the bond between people and their companion animals. The Social Court No. 25 of Barcelona declared the disciplinary dismissal of a teleoperator improper after she missed several days of work, including one absence specifically to attend to her dog's urgent medical needs.

The Competition and Markets Authority found that consumers have overpaid roughly £1 billion in veterinary fees over five years, highlighting a significant issue in the market.

Countless millions of nonhuman animals (animals) of all sorts are used in a diverse array of laboratory research. Their treatment varies from being unspeakably inhumanely abused to being treated with kindness, depending on the questions at hand and the values and attitudes of the researchers themselves. The lives of these animals truly are hidden, and most people are incredulous when they learn that laboratory rats and mice still are not considered "animals" under the current federal Animal Welfare Act.

Dog ownership has increased dramatically in many western countries. For example, in the UK there has been an increase from around 8.3 million in 2011 to 13.5 million in 2025. That means that approximately 29% of UK adults own a dog! At least partially this increasing trend of owning a dog is linked to millennials being more likely to have children later in life.

Remember that moment at the dog park when you see two golden retrievers, with one bouncing around with bright eyes and a glossy coat, and the other just going through the motions with a dull expression despite being perfectly groomed? Both dogs are clearly loved and cared for, but something deeper separates them: It's the difference between a dog that's genuinely flourishing and one that's simply being maintained.

Picture this: Your new puppy is pressed against the corner of the room, trembling slightly as you call their name. Their tail, which should be wagging with excitement, is tucked firmly between their legs. You've done everything the books told you, bought all the right toys, followed the feeding schedule perfectly, yet somehow your furry friend seems more nervous with each passing day.