In this article, author Kim Stallwood argues that animal advocacy should be approached as a public policy issue. He offers an evaluation of the animal protection movement and its strategies, and concludes that the movement’s emphasis on personal lifestyle choice is inadequate and that it would benefit from a long-term strategy that brings animal protection into the realm of mainstream politics.

[Abstract excerpted from original source.]

“The main aim of this paper is to make the case that the politics of animal rights advocacy rests with establishing the moral and legal status of animals as a public policy issue. Presently, animal rights is primarily framed as an optional lifestyle choice. It is not understood as a matter for mainstream politics,  including public policy, the policies of political parties,  regulations and legislation. Starting with Barbara Noske’s  concept of the animal industrial complex, I consider the present status of the many traditions, cultural norms, economic and other incentives which license our instrumental use animals for human gain. I propose a five-part evaluation process of social movements and use it to evaluate the modern animal rights movement. I critique its present strategy with its emphasis on personal lifestyle choice as inadequate in challenging the animal industrial complex. I conclude the modern animal rights movement must implement a long-term strategy which advances animal issues as public policy, which is in addition to its present strategy promoting optional vegan, crueltyfree lifestyle choice.”