Animal welfare is a fairly recent, but worrying topic in society. This topic is a strong argument on a variety of opinions. Animal welfare has become an important issue and has grown internationally. Human concern, safety and animal rights are the meaning of the concept of animal welfare. Through decades of animal welfare, people fight to prevent the action of animal cruelty and bring help towards animal rights. Towards animal welfare comes the aspect of animal cruelty. Animal cruelty is a fairly recent topic that has affected society. Animal cruelty has now been compared to families being abused by humans. The concern is recent because as society changes, the attitudes of humans change and now affect towards animals. Animal welfare is used to help animal cruelty, because decreasing violence between animals and humans can help animal welfare regulations. Research and testing have become more important and are a major concern to the public regarding animal treatment. Many activists today are trying to change the view that people have towards the animal they have as a companion. Ethical issues are the many concerns about animals and the question always asked is, “who has the right to control the animal?” New research has been created for animal welfare and the causes of animal abuse. Since animal abuse is a fairly new topic, new research is constantly being presented. In the Bahamas, a study was conducted at the College of Bahamas, which stated that “…dogs were just as likely to be considered family members in homes without domestic violence” (Fielding 197). Houses with violence show that humans replace human victims with animal victims. Animal rights activists are trying to break down the symbolic boundaries between...... middle of paper ......lliam J. "Domestic Violence and Dog Grooming in New Providence, Bahamas." Society and Animals 18.2 (2010): 183-203. Premier of academic research. EBSCO. Network. September 21, 2011.Freeman, Carrie Packwood. “Framing Animal Rights in U.S. Animal Rights Organizations’ “Go Veg” Campaigns.” Society and Animals 18.2 (2010): 163-182. Premier of academic research. EBSCO. Network. September 21, 2011. Izzo, Genevieve N., Meredith J. Bashaw, and John B. Campbell. “Enrichment and individual differences influence indicators of well-being in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri Sciureus).” Journal of Comparative Psychology 125.3 (2011): 347-352. Premier of academic research. EBSCO Web. October 5, 2011. Sikes, Roberts. and William L. Gannon. “American Society of Mammalogists Guidelines for the Use of Wild Mammals in Research.” Journal of Mammalogy 92.1 (February 2011): 235-253. Premier of academic research. EBSCO. Network. 5 October. 2011.