Animal care is the well being of non-human beings. This care is usually extended to animals owned by humans and involves the legal regulation of animal breeding, raising, handling, research, teaching, sheltering, and adoption, as well as preservation of the animal species for future generations. Animal welfare focuses on the protection, security, and well being of animals. Prevention of cruelty to animals is one of the most important areas of animal care. Formal criteria of animal welfare generally range between circumstances but are usually debated mainly by animal advocates, animal scientists, politicians, and others.
The vast majority of animal care experts agree that the best animal care is to provide a high quality of life for animals, to their best health, and to their own preferences. They further advocate animal care to prevent cruelty and maximize the potential of animal lives. The animal rights philosophy promotes respect for animals, promotes a responsible caring community, and encourages human empathy and respect for animals in our society. According to this philosophy, animals should not be harmed or neglected in any way. The primary focus of animal care is to provide animals with the highest quality of life. Humane animal care means protecting and promoting the greatest possible opportunity for animal survival.
Animal rights philosophy is often called “humanism”. Some animal rights movements are vegetarian, vegan, animal rights fundamentalists, and others. Vegetarianism is the adoption of a vegetarian lifestyle. Veganism is a lifestyle involving no consumption of animal products. Other animal rights beliefs include animal rescue, anti-vivisection, and protection of endangered species.