Pakistan's 230 million people rely heavily on livestock, with approximately 80 million cattle and buffalo, 100 million small ruminants, and millions of working equids — most managed with minimal welfare oversight.
Pakistan has one of the world's largest livestock sectors by animal numbers — approximately 80 million cattle and buffalo, 100 million sheep and goats, 8 million camels and equids — and an animal welfare framework that is among South Asia's weakest. Provincial Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts (based on the British colonial Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890) form the primary legal basis, supplemented by some provincial updates. Enforcement is minimal and inconsistent.
Pakistan's animal welfare law is fragmented across provinces (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan). Provincial Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts criminalize basic cruelty but lack positive welfare provisions, specific farm animal standards, or meaningful enforcement mechanisms. Pakistan has not enacted federal comprehensive animal welfare legislation. The Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council has issued professional guidelines that include welfare provisions, but these bind only veterinary professionals.
Pakistan has approximately 5 million donkeys, 400,000 horses, and 200,000 mules — working primarily in agriculture, transport, and construction. The Brooke Pakistan — operating in Lahore, Faisalabad, and Muzaffarabad — is the most significant welfare intervention, providing veterinary services and owner education. Key welfare problems: severe overloading (documented loads exceeding 2-3x recommended maximums), wounds from poor harness design, lameness, inadequate nutrition, and use of sub-standard veterinary care or no care at all.
Pakistan's vast livestock sector is predominantly managed by smallholders with limited resources and welfare knowledge. Cattle and buffalo are often kept in periurban areas under poor housing conditions. Qurbani — the annual ritual sacrifice during Eid al-Adha involving approximately 10 million animals — creates a brief but large-scale welfare challenge, with concerns about transport conditions, holding facilities, and slaughter methods. SPANA Pakistan and animal welfare organizations work with religious authorities to promote humane slaughter practices during Qurbani.
Cockfighting and dog fighting are widely practiced across Pakistan despite being technically prohibited under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts. These activities involve deliberate infliction of suffering for entertainment and gambling. Enforcement is rare; cultural normalization is widespread in rural areas. Animal welfare organizations conduct awareness campaigns but face significant cultural resistance.
Pakistan's wildlife — including snow leopards, Marco Polo sheep, Indus river dolphins, and migratory birds — faces threats from poaching, habitat loss, and illegal wildlife trade. The WWF Pakistan and Snow Leopard Foundation work on wildlife conservation with welfare implications. Pakistan's Indus river dolphin (Platanista minor) — approximately 2,000 remaining — is particularly threatened by agricultural water diversion, fishing gear entanglement, and habitat fragmentation.
Pakistan's animal welfare sector is small but growing. SPANA Pakistan, Brooke Pakistan, and local organizations including Animal Friends Pakistan and Edhi Foundation animal programs conduct welfare work. Social media has increased public awareness particularly in urban centers. University veterinary faculties in Lahore and Faisalabad are beginning to incorporate welfare science into curricula.
Pakistan's welfare improvement requires: federal comprehensive welfare legislation to replace colonial-era provincial acts; expansion of working equid veterinary services; campaigns addressing animal fighting; and building institutional enforcement capacity. International support and partnerships are critical given the gap between welfare need and available domestic resources.