Friend currently teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in animal behavior and management. In addition, he conducts research in animal behavior and stress physiology to provide objective information to help resolve animal welfare issues. He serves on the Institutional Agricultural Animal Care and Use Committee, and he is frequently asked to consult on issues related to animal welfare.

Friend and his students are presently conducting a project for USDA that involves studying the transportation and management of circus elephants and tigers, and determining exercise requirements for performing tigers and lions.

In 1981, Friend received the Felix Wankle Award, an international award that recognizes advances in the scientific approach to addressing questions of animal care. He was also honored as Humanitarian of the Year in 1986 by the Animal Protection Institute of North America for his research on animal welfare issues. Friend also received the Department of Animal Science's Outstanding Service Award in 1991.

Professional memberships include the American Dairy Science Association, the Animal Behavior Society, the American Society of Animal Science, International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology, and the International Society for Applied Ethology. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Animal Science, and the Journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science. He also is a registered Professional Animal Scientist, is board ceritified in Animal Behavior, and on the Advisory Board of the International Elephant Foundation.