An extensive site about animal rights

Animal welfare asks for bigger cages. Animal Freedom asks a different question: by what right do we keep animals captive at all? We start from the same fundamental right on which human rights rest: freedom. Whoever takes away another's freedom has to justify it – not the other way around. Animals do not have to earn their right to freedom.

We work out this idea as concretely as possible, from factory farming to what you can do yourself. Outspoken opinion, backed by up-to-date facts and figures.

What are you looking for?

Think and discussQuestions and arguments, from school to university Why animal rights?Freedom as the basis What can I do?Eating, shopping, voting, talking

Or browse all topics.

Test yourself

Opinion testIs your opinion close to that of Animal Freedom? Test of abusesHow much do you know about life in factory farms? Healthy eating testDo you get enough nutrients every day?

All tests and games

Why freedom?

Freedom is a basic right for humans. Many laws are based on it. Animal Freedom works out this basic right for animals: all living beings are intrinsically equal in their right to a natural and therefore free life. This article on freedom is the core of our story.

What goes wrong?

  • Too many animals, used too fast. Every year more than 80 billion land animals are slaughtered worldwide (FAO, 2023). How fast that goes.
  • Half-truths. Farmers, citizens and governments talk past each other. Old untruths justify animal suffering. What they leave out.
  • Animals die young. A cow can live to about 20 years. In the Netherlands, for example, a dairy cow is slaughtered at around six on average (CRV, 2024-2025). Natural lifespan and age at slaughter.

More questions about factory farming? Choose one in the reading guide.

Who writes here?

Bert Stoop, psychologist (University of Groningen), is the webmaster of Animal Freedom. Since the late 1990s he has been writing about animal rights based on freedom. Read when he understood what freedom means to an animal or see our objectives.

Visitors from other countries will find an introductory text in their own language.