ABSTRACT
What makes an animal’s life go well? What makes it go poorly? And when an animal dies, is her death itself—the mere fact of her ceasing to be alive—bad for her? After providing some historical context for thinking about animal welfare, this chapter maps out the three most prominent philosophical accounts. Then, it shows that these theories have very different implications when we consider the plight of wild animals, who suffer a great deal in their natural habitats. Finally, the chapter considers the question of the badness of death for animals, including some of the challenges associated with determining whether death is worse for humans or nonhumans.
