Calculating Compassion in Animal Welfare

Caring about and for animals is a big money industry. Activists and philanthropists spend a lot of energy—and money—trying to figure out the best way to move the public opinion needle, the biggest political bang for the buck, the fastest way to reduce animal suffering. Yet they approach these challenges through different ethical lenses. Effective Altruism relies heavily on utilitarian logic, while activists often invoke virtues as their motivations. In this case study of compassion for animals, questions abound: how should the immeasurable be measured? When does data become detrimental to achieving goals? What’s the logic of giving (money) to reduce (suffering)?