ABSTRACT
The topic of farm animal welfare is a consequence of a social movement that began in the early 1960s in the United Kingdom following the publication of Ruth Harrison’s book “Animal Machines” in 1964. In her book, she voiced concerns about the lives led by farm animals, particularly laying hens, broilers and veal calves, and housing environments where animals were prevented from seeing the sun. In North America, the role of legislation has traditionally played a minor role in improving animal welfare. This is likely due in part to “animal care” being primarily governed at the province or state level, which has resulted, at least in Canada, in a non-harmonized approach to the issue of animal welfare. While many people are familiar with the word “audit,” there is often much confusion as to how a first-party audit differs from a second-party audit or a third-party audit, particularly when applied to animal welfare in the context of the supply chain.
