The English philosopher laid an early foundation for animal welfare by shifting the focus from intellect to sentience. He famously wrote: "The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?"

By prioritizing animal welfare and rights, we not only improve the lives of animals, but also our own. Studies have shown that people who treat animals with kindness and respect are more likely to exhibit empathy and compassion towards humans, and that animal cruelty is often linked to other forms of violence and abuse.

The tide began to turn during the Enlightenment. Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, famously shifted the ethical question in 1789: "The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?" The Scientific Turning Point

Ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.