The tension between welfare and rights might be rendered obsolete by technology.

Factory farming is the largest source of human-caused animal suffering globally. To maximize efficiency and minimize costs, billions of animals are raised in high-density, confined spaces. Standard practices include gestation crates for pigs, battery cages for egg-laying hens, and surgical mutilations (like debeaking and tail-docking) performed without anesthesia. Advocacy here focuses on transitioning to cage-free systems, banning intensive confinement, and promoting plant-based or cultivated alternatives. Scientific Research

In 2022, a court in New York denied a writ of habeas corpus for an elephant named Happy at the Bronx Zoo. The Nonhuman Rights Project argued that Happy, who could recognize herself in a mirror (a test of self-awareness), was being unlawfully detained. The court disagreed, ruling that rights are for humans only.