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@MaynardClark: @Throughthemind: @Alenoach: @J Milburn:

Let's talk about the "animal welfare" categories that were added recently and if they accurately represent Oscar Horta and his work. The problem I have found is that there is no good WP:RS describing his viewpoint specifically as animal welfare. Horta describes himself as an "animal activist". If you read this interview he also refers to himself as an "antispeciesist activist" and this is reflected on other websites like the Vegan Society [1]. He supports the granting of legal rights to all sentient beings [2], so this is not traditional welfarist ideology, it is rights based. According to the previous link he was a member of the Spanish animal rights group Equanimal. Also the Animal Ethics (organization) that he co-founded is definitely an animal rights organization, not welfare. However, where this gets tricky is his endorsement of Welfare biology and his rejection of moral rights.

As for reviews of Horta's book, most academics put Horta's work in the animal rights category. I cannot find any defining it as animal welfare. For example, Regina Faighes has commented In "Making a Stand for Animals, Horta goes a step further than many other animal rights advocates, because he implores his readers to understand that it behooves us human beings to consider the importance of advocating for the rights of wild animals" [3]. Again, this hardly fits an animal welfare definition. The above review also notes "Horta implores us to go beyond ourselves and advocate for legislation that will protect the rights of all sentient beings". So obviously more than a welfare approach.

We have had difficult classification issues on other articles. An example would be Marc Bekoff who at one point early in his career defined himself as a rights advocate and has criticized animal welfare at length in a book he co-authored. He later claimed he isn't an activist for animal rights and that he is concerned with protecting animals [4]. To confuse matters he had previously co-authored the Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare. He often works with animal welfare groups and also supports welfare biology. What we did on his article was put him on both animal rights and animal welfare categories and templates. We could probably do the same here. I think one thing is very clear, Oscar Horta is not a typical animal welfare advocate.

I think the rights categories would still be justified based on the WP:RS that we have. In a nutshell I see far more sourcing linking Horta to animal rights and nothing good on the animal welfare categorization so far. Let me know what you think and if you have found any other sourcing. Apologies for the long post, I just want these BLPS as accurate as possible. Veg Historian (talk) 16:22, 15 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

We may not agree, but I think that #animalwelfare and #animalrights (can, sometimes or often) overlap? OTOH, #animalsrights theorists may not (need to) be (measurable?) activists? Standards for usage may 'morph' through 'lived history' in societies, networks, operations and initiatives, and individuals. What 'comes down' denotatively may not increase consensus/ MaynardClark (talk) 16:49, 15 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

I suggest we recognize Oscar Horta primarily as an ʽanimal rightsʼ advocate based on the strongest reliable sources, while also acknowledging his engagement with ʽwelfare biology' as a nuanced dimension of his work. This 'dual categorization' reflects the complexity without oversimplifying. Clear documentation of this in the article’s text and categories will help readers understand the evolving boundaries between animal rights and welfare (animal welfare) discourse. I see this as the most balanced and precise approach for Wikipedia’s standards. MaynardClark (talk) 16:53, 15 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Maynard, I agree with what you are saying. There is an overlap. I think the best thing to do would be to include both categories for rights and welfare. We have done this elsewhere on some other biographies like Marc Bekoff. Horta is already cited on the animal rights template in the "advocates" section [5]. Veg Historian (talk) 18:12, 15 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]