NPR: Animal Welfare

The beermaker says it will end the practice known as tail docking after it came under pressure by animal rights group PETA.

With smushed-in faces and compact bodies, bulldogs are prone to health problems. A court in Norway recently banned breeding them, sparking an international debate.

"Two hours of walking will soon be mandatory?" asks one headline in the German press. "Is the paternalism going too far?" demands another.

There are many elements to consider: climate, animal welfare, greenhouse gas emissions, land use. And with so many factors at play, sometimes the answer gets complicated.

The owner of the eatery says she's giving compassionate cannabis to the crustaceans so that they don't feel pain. But the state isn't sure the practice is in line with health regulations.

Butchers are an integral part of French life, and are known for carefully sourcing their meat. But now some are being targeted by extreme vegans who use vandalism to draw attention to their cause.

The Department of Agriculture says organic-food makers can keep using carrageenan, a thickener made from seaweed. It's the second time this year that it has reversed an organic board's recommendation.

Drawn in by fresh eggs, or the possibility of feathered friends, people continue to flock toward backyard chickens. One researcher wonders if local laws are doing enough to keep people and birds safe.

City inspectors found violations of building codes and animal welfare laws. The horses will be sent to a sanctuary. A second company still offers carriage rides.

Concerns over animal welfare have led to changes in recent years in how livestock are raised. But seafood has been missing from the conversation. One group aims to change that.

Being miserably bored is no fun. It's a feeling animals can develop, too, including in zoos, labs and our own homes, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.

The poultry industry may be on the verge of adopting ambitious new animal-welfare standards, giving chickens more space and daylight, and even returning to older, slower-growing chicken breeds.

Beef and poultry get labels designating humane treatment; seafood doesn't. Two fishermen want to change that. Their state-of-the-art ship makes fishing safer for crew and minimizes pain for fish.

New rules for organic farming will require farmers to give chickens more pasture. Some of the biggest organic egg producers will have to change their practices, or stop calling their eggs organic.

Ethiopia has 7 million donkeys — more than any other country. They have a pretty tough life, but changes are afoot.