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In a collaborative effort, the India Animal Fund and Dasra recently unveiled their report, ‘Our shared future: Securing animal welfare, human wellbeing, and sustainability in India’. This landscape report provides a thorough overview of animal welfare and underscores its indispensable role within India’s socio-economic and ecological frameworks. It also illustrates how animal welfare is intricately intertwined with public health, labour welfare, and climate resilience.
The report reveals the alarming extent of animal suffering in India, a country home to over 3.8 billion animals in agriculture and allied industries. Additionally, there are 70 million working bovines and 500,000 equids and camels used in the cultural and tourism sectors. The report notes the existence of 1,579 registered facilities for animal experimentation and over 80 million homeless community animals, including dogs, cats, and cows. Together, these nearly 4 billion sentient beings face significant challenges with profound implications for India’s economic, policy, and social landscapes.
Following a data overview, the report delves into current practices in four key segments of animal use in India: farmed animals, working animals, community animals, and animals used for testing and experimentation. It identifies significant gaps in welfare practices and the challenges faced by human communities in implementing effective measures. The report outlines four catalytic levers to drive sustainable animal welfare: awareness, capital, talent, and policymaking.
“The compelling findings of this report illustrate that prioritising animal welfare is not just an ethical imperative but a cornerstone of sustainable development. As we face increasing environmental and health challenges, the integration of robust animal welfare regulations and practices becomes crucial for the future of our nation,” said Parag Agarwal, founder of the India Animal Fund.
Despite India's historical empathy towards animals, contemporary practices in animal husbandry are characterised by intensive and exploitative systems. These practices not only cause profound animal suffering but also have severe repercussions for human health, environmental sustainability, and labour welfare.
The implications for public health are alarming, with antibiotic resistance caused by indiscriminate antibiotic use in livestock feed poised to cause up to 10 million deaths globally each year by 2050. The prevalence of zoonotic diseases is exacerbated by intensive animal agriculture, which contributes to billions of human illnesses annually.
Moreover, the use of growth hormones in livestock is linked to significant health issues, including hormonal imbalances in consumers. The report underscores that livestock farming is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and plays a substantial role in habitat destruction and pollution, threatening biodiversity and local communities' health and livelihoods.
The report also explores the intersection of animal welfare and labour welfare. Workers in close contact with animals often face occupational hazards and livelihood insecurity due to the lack of safe and equitable working conditions. Child labour remains a critical concern within the sector, with cattle products frequently produced under exploitative conditions.
The mental health ramifications are also profound; individuals exposed to animal cruelty, including children and slaughterhouse workers, are at a heightened risk of developing mental health disorders and engaging in antisocial behaviour. Intensive farming practices disproportionately drain resources, using 77% of global agricultural land but providing only 18% of the world’s caloric supply and 37% of its protein supply.
“Animal welfare provides changemakers the opportunity to push their boundaries of compassion and collaboration. Investing in animal welfare in India can prove to be a visionary step towards holistic development, progress, and sustainability. By supporting animal welfare initiatives, we not only ensure the welfare of animals but also create shared prosperity for the human communities closest to them,” added Jyotirmoy Chatterji at Dasra.
The report outlines a way forward to significantly enhance animal welfare, centred around four foundational pillars: awareness, capital, talent, and policy. It emphasises cultivating a deep understanding of animal welfare and the crucial role of individual and community awareness in transforming practices.
By expanding knowledge on how animals are integrated into intensive systems and fostering greater empathy for animals as sentient beings, the report advocates integrating animal welfare into everyday thinking and consumption practices. This enhanced awareness is seen as pivotal in bridging the gap between current practices and a more humane and sustainable approach to animal welfare.
In terms of capital and talent, the report calls for increased strategic financial support and investment in organised and intersectoral animal welfare initiatives. This includes building capacities for on-ground practitioners and fostering collaborations between academia, industry, and government to accelerate the adoption of cruelty-free practices and innovations.
The report highlights the critical funding challenges faced by animal welfare organisations and underscores the importance of encouraging careers in animal welfare among youth. Policymaking is identified as a vital area for reform, with recommendations for more inclusive and scientifically backed policy development, robust monitoring mechanisms, and ensuring diverse stakeholder participation. By advocating for these strategic pillars, the report sets a clear roadmap for India to advance animal welfare, bolstering human well-being and ecological sustainability.
The report highlights pathways for diverse stakeholder groups, including funders, corporates, non-profits, governments, and citizens, to undertake collaborative and trusteeship roles. Institutional funders can spearhead multi-stakeholder dialogues to tackle systemic challenges in animal welfare, while individual philanthropists can enhance the capacities of organisations dedicated to this cause.
Corporates are encouraged to integrate ethical practices within their supply chains, support programs linking animal welfare with public health, worker wellbeing, and environmental sustainability, and apply these welfare measures comprehensively within their operations.
Non-profits are urged to engage in context-specific research and policy advocacy reflecting grassroots realities, aiming to ensure robust law enforcement and foster an inclusive narrative around animal welfare. The report suggests governmental support for producer groups to adopt higher welfare systems, aid farmers transitioning to alternative agricultural products, and create favourable regulatory environments for innovation in alternative proteins and non-animal research.
Citizens are called upon to adopt more informed and sustainable consumption practices, support local governance in animal welfare initiatives, and actively participate in the care of community animals. This multi-dimensional approach promotes holistic improvements in animal welfare, enhances human well-being and environmental health, and showcases a sustainable pathway forward for India.
Investing in animal welfare is not just a choice but a necessity for India’s holistic development, progress, and sustainability. This report is a clarion call to action, urging us towards a future of sustainable prosperity that supports the welfare of all beings.
About India Animal Fund:
India Animal Fund (IAF) is a backbone organisation that connects funders with capable implementation partners to address pressing animal welfare issues at scale. Launched on October 30, 2022, IAF aims to create a platform for effective giving, offering transparent, independent, evidence-based, and actionable recommendations to significantly reduce animal suffering in India.
About Dasra:
Dasra, is a pioneering strategic philanthropic organisation that aims for a transformed India where a billion people thrive with dignity and equity. Since its inception in 1999, Dasra has accelerated social change by driving collaborative action through powerful partnerships among a trust-based network of stakeholders.