I was thinking to write something about animal welfare, and the discourteous treatment of animals and actions against it. I amways start with a few key words, things I think of. To bring later some structure, and an appropriate link and description to search.
Honestly, I 'm shocked by that list of keywords. I note only just inhumane treatment, not even the irresponsible breeding methods for dairy- and beef cattle, and fish.
Strange that not everyone who claims to love animals is vegetarian (non - meat eater) too. Or vegan (no animal products used: leather, feather, fur).
If I try to list it all it seems like in all animal species that we 'use', as food, product supplier, and companion animal for our entertainment, are too many victims of disrespectful abuse misused.
Luckily there are many groups that fight for animal rights and animal welfare.
A well-known name by the crackdown is ALF: http://www.animalliberationfront.com/
Global Action in the Interest of Animals, abbreviated GAIA, is a Belgian pressure group that stands up for what they call the "rights and welfare of the animals".
WWF World Wildlife Fund, is an international conservation organization that since 1961 fights the loss of biodiversity on earth, http://worldwildlife.org/
Reception and care
A shelter is a refuge for outcasts. Animal Shelters worry mainly about companion animals, pets: dogs and cats. Often you can help e.g. as a dog walker.
Stray cats continue to grow. Neutering is the only way to stem a plague.
(There are also shelters for wild live animals.)
There are several foundations that deal with the reception and care of disused and neglected horses. Horse racing is often about winning (lots of money), and therefore not always animal friendly.
Eating animals. Something’s fishy
Sea Shearpard carries since 1977 mainly action against the bloody whaling, which threatens many species. http://www.seashepherd.org/
Japan also likes dolphins. This annual massacre still exists. http://www.savejapandolphins.org/
Shark fins are prized in Asia, especially in soups and as a traditional medicine. They are cut off alive, and the mutilated animal is dumped to perish. http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/anti-shark-finning-campaigns/
To fish is often used live bait. Not only worms and insects, including fish. And occasionally living dogs and cats to catch sharks. http://www.examiner.com/article/reports-of-dogs-used-as-live-bait-are-a-mixture-of-rumor-and-truth
With large nets, sea is fished empty. Incidental capture or not salable by-catch is thrown back overboard. Most animals do not survive. http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/problems_fishing/fisheries_management/bycatch222/
With the current catch and farming methods it seems no longer justified even to eat any fish. Or meat.
(Oyster be eaten alive, lobsters boiled alive. Prawns and mussels too. Seems like too difficult to individually break their neck.)
A tradition at the Pretzel Festival in Grammont of drinking live fish is challenged by GAIA.
Gruesome (often Chinese) scenes of animals being eaten or prepare alive (squid, fish, brains,...), I do not describe further, but http://listverse.com/2013/03/06/10-animals-that-people-eat-alive/
If we eat frog legs we do no better. They were often living torn or cut off. http://www.savethefrogs.com/threats/frog-legs/
And if we do first kill our "food" it is not always as painless and efficient as possible. http://www.hedweb.com/hillman/animpain.htm
Ritual slaughter is done in a by faith (Islam or Judaism) prescribed manner.
With us, an animal must be made unconscious ('stunned') before killing.
http://www.hedweb.com/hillman/animpain.htm, http://www.grandin.com/ritual/kosher.slaugh.html
After Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland: https://www.thedodo.com/denmark-bans-ritual-slaughter--435746009.html
Lab animals and animal testing are often used for scientific research, vivisection, testing of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Often exaggerated and unnecessary. http://animal-testing.procon.org/
Entertainment
For the show, spectacle, our pleasure? We're going to prick animals and torture. Tame them.
Previously birds were caught in a variety of ways or stolen from the nest to keep in cages. Companionship Finches are used to hold singing contest. (In former days they were made blind.)
In many areas, migratory birds are lured (mp3) and caught with miles of nets to be served in restaurants. http://www.eawildlife.org/the-news/eawlsnews/382-egypt-is-the-worst-place-to-be-a-migratory-bird
Birdcage, guinea pigs, fish bowl: sentenced to life long imprisonment. Just for fun. Or cruel, but legal: key chains with live fish or turtle http://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/04/live-fish-and-reptiles-sold-as.html
The use of animals in circuses is increasingly reduced and banned. http://www.animalcircuses.com/
Bears are often gruesome ways trained to dance. http://www.animalcircuses.com/
Jakarta Animal Aid Network JAAN has campaigned for years (to) abolish the abuse of monkeys to show - dance. http://jakartaanimalaid.com/blog/?page_id=5800
Even elephants are "trained" for our enjoyment. http://action.peta.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.campaign.id=11698&ea.client.id=5&c=pukfpaa
And sometimes people like animals to fight each other mutually. To death.
Cockfights are held worldwide but banned here in the meantime and thus illegal. http://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/animals-in-entertainment/cockfighting
This also applies in principle to dog fights (and fights with bears) http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/dogfighting/
Spanish greyhounds at the end of their careers are not always guaranteed a peaceful old age. http://www.galgorescue.org/
And sometimes we do the job ourselves. Bullfighting... http://www.stopbullfighting.org.uk/
AAP provides care for exotic animals. http://foreverwildexotics.org/
The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is an international animal welfare organization. http://www.wspa-usa.org/
Production
Dairy shortenes by the excessive raised production of eggs and milk the lifetime considerably. Meat: flop chicken, -pork, -beef: accelerated growth shortens life. That all is not rosy.
(Laying) battery hens received by public opinion and law a little more space. http://www.upc-online.org/battery_hens/
Also, rabbits are crammed into batteries http://www.freedomforfarmedrabbits.com/
Newly born chicks are sexed. Want laying hens: the roosters are discarded. Not for sensitive viewers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JJ--faib7to
Piglets were / are castrated without anesthesia to avoid the meat can get an unpleasant flavor (boar taint). http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/farm/pigs/keyissues
Earlier in function of better meat quality and production also used in chickens, sheep and cattle. (Yet?)
For delicious tender veal you get the animals for 7 months in appalling conditions in a small cage to fatten. I do not know whether the current regulations on veal crates around their lifes are making animal-friendlier.
A delicious Foie gras you get by full force spraying with "customized" diet. To geese (and ducks) http://www.stopforcefeeding.com/content/what-experts-say-about-foie-gras
Transportation (crammed, they cannot fall; cold (by speed, ventilation)) is quite often conducted with batons and stun guns. Housing, incarceration, mutilation,... it could be all better. http://www.bornfreeusa.org/?gclid=COKW372zhb0CFaQfwwodXq0AQA
http://www.animalsangels.org/
On farms caged bears are tortured daily to drain off bile. Bear bile is used in traditional Asian medicine https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/our-work/end-bear-bile-farming/
Fur
Angora wool is torn painfully of live rabbits. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/215/579/302/tell-ralph-lauren-to-stop-using-angora-rabbit-fur/
From goose down is sometimes picked several times. Despite a ban. http://www.thedailyactivist.com/animal-rights-feathers-plucked-on-live-goose/
Growing mink for their fur has often caused protests. http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/animals-used-clothing-factsheets/inside-fur-industry-factory-farms/
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is mainly known from the anti - fur campaigns. Seal clubbing for their fur coat is still common in the media.
http://www.harpseals.org/about_the_hunt/index.php
Worldwide, there have been protests against the still active poachers who kill elephants for ivory, rhinos for their horns, or catch wild animals for private zoos. http://www.bornfree.org.uk/about-us/born-free-kenya/conservation-programmes/ivory-trade/
http://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/thorny_issues/poaching_crisis_in_south_africa
However, impressive as it is listed, right?
That so many activist groups are active shows happy that we are sensitive to them, and that this is unfortunately necessary.
Some Wiki links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animal_welfare_groups
In Jainism monks use a broom to sweep small animals from their path, so they are not accidentally going to step on and kill them.
I swat flies dead, eat sometimes alive cooked mussels and kill myself my own goose.
Mistreatment, abuse, neglect, unworthy working- and living conditions...
We even do it to people: living alone who days, weeks and even years are lying dead in their apartment. Meanwhile, no one missed them. Child neglect, child work. Contempt, hatred and violence against people (gypsies, gay men, other races, other faiths.)
Action groups against are less numerous.
Mercy Ships helps since 1978 with a hospital ship the poor in major world ports. https://www.mercyships.org/
https://www.amnesty.org/ , Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/, Médecins Sans Frontières http://www.msf-azg.be/nl, Red Cross http://www.icrc.org/eng/, Justitia et Pax http://www.juspax-eu.org/en/home/index.shtml?navanchor=1110000, Child labor: UNICEF,…
Remember the 30 human rights? http://missnixon.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/we-have-30-basic-human-rights/
Man is the only animal that blushes, or needs to. (Mark Twain)