Under a welfare framework, practices such as factory farming, zoos, and animal testing remain permissible provided they adhere to standards of "humane" treatment. For example, welfare reforms have led to bans on gestation crates for pigs, the phasing out of battery cages for hens, and the implementation of pain relief during surgical procedures.

Poor welfare in live animal markets or crowded farms increases the risk of diseases jumping from animals to humans (e.g., COVID-19, Avian Flu).

Laws like the Animal Welfare Act in the U.S. set minimum standards for research and exhibition, though critics often argue these are inadequately enforced.