Myanmar's 2021 military coup has had profound impacts on all aspects of society — including animal welfare — with international organizations suspended, civil society suppressed, and wildlife trade enforcement collapsed.
Myanmar's animal welfare situation has been severely affected by the February 2021 military coup, which ended a decade of democratic reform and created a humanitarian and governance crisis. International welfare organizations have suspended or scaled back programs; civil society actors face arrest and violence; and wildlife trade enforcement — always limited — has collapsed in many regions as law enforcement is redirected toward political suppression. Meanwhile, the country's animals continue to face welfare challenges that pre-dated the coup.
Prior to 2021, Myanmar was developing welfare infrastructure. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Law (1919, British colonial) was being supplemented by new regulations. International organizations including Brooke, HSI, and Four Paws had programs. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) was conducting enforcement support. This progress was disrupted sharply by the coup.
The coup's welfare impacts include: suspension of international NGO programs unable to work with the military government; collapse of formal wildlife enforcement, enabling increased wildlife trafficking; continued use of working elephants in logging despite international pressure; deterioration of livestock veterinary services as government function contracted; and the general welfare impacts on animals owned by displaced or economically devastated households.
Myanmar's captive elephant population — approximately 5,000 animals, one of Asia's largest — is predominantly used for logging by the military-owned Myanmar Timber Enterprise. These elephants face welfare challenges including: overwork, separation from calves, inadequate rest periods, and physical injuries from logging equipment. International campaigns to end logging elephant use have been complicated by the military government's control of the industry.
Myanmar is a major transit country for Southeast Asian wildlife trade — tigers, elephants, pangolins, birds, reptiles. Pre-coup enforcement progress has largely been reversed; trafficking networks have exploited the governance vacuum. The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone — operating in Myanmar, Laos, and China border areas — remains a notorious wildlife trade hub with minimal effective enforcement.
Myanmar's 13 million cattle are predominantly in smallholder systems across the Dry Zone, Shan State, and Delta regions. The country exports live cattle to Thailand and China. Working cattle welfare depends heavily on smallholder capacity — affected by the economic crisis caused by the coup. Commercial poultry and pig sectors have contracted significantly due to economic disruption.
International welfare organizations have adapted to the crisis by: working through trusted local partners where possible; providing support to exile networks; documenting welfare conditions for post-coup accountability; and maintaining relationships with civil society actors able to operate safely. The welfare situation will likely improve when democratic governance is restored and international engagement can resume.