Animal Welfare 101

Wildflower International, Ltd founder and CEO Kimberly deCastro has spent more than 20 years of managing the affairs of the business. Aside from being a business executive, Kimberly deCastro also advocates for animal welfare.

In its simplest term, animal welfare refers to man’s relationship with animals and his responsibility to care for them in the most humane way. Animal welfare began as early as the Neolithic era when people started domesticating animals. In fact, animal domestication resulted from man’s appreciation and respect for animals. This also gave rise to animal agriculture and husbandry.

During the Neolithic times, people believed that animal welfare helped them achieve their own purpose. Caring for animals gave them mutual benefits because animals cared back. This was the pact that was held on until now that led to the modern-time animal welfare. Today, people still cared for animals like the people of the Neolithic era did.

The challenge to keep animal welfare today is the worldwide shift from agriculture to urbanization. This shift posts a challenge to animal welfare advocates because only 1% of those living in farms in the US practice the occupation of farming.