South Asia encompasses some of the world's largest livestock populations. India has the world's largest cattle herd and leads global buffalo populations. Bangladesh and Pakistan have significant poultry and dairy sectors. Nepal and Sri Lanka have smaller but welfare-significant livestock industries. The region is characterized by mixed farming systems where animals serve multiple functions — draft power, milk, manure, and meat — and by rapidly growing intensive poultry and dairy sectors in peri-urban areas.
Cultural and religious attitudes toward animals vary across South Asia. Hindu traditions in India and Nepal emphasize reverence for cattle; Islamic traditions influence livestock management in Bangladesh and Pakistan; Buddhist traditions in Sri Lanka and parts of Nepal emphasize non-harm. These traditions create both protective customs (beef cattle often spared from slaughter in Hindu-majority areas) and welfare challenges (animals kept without adequate care due to religious constraints on veterinary procedures).
India's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960) and the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) form the legislative backbone. The AWBI has limited enforcement capacity relative to India's vast livestock population. Transport rules (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - Transport Rules) set maximum loading and journey time standards that are poorly enforced. Slaughter is regulated by state-level legislation with significant variation.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughterhouse) Rules 2001 established basic requirements for slaughterhouse registration, antemortem inspection, and basic handling standards. In 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is working with state governments to upgrade slaughterhouse infrastructure under the National Meat and Poultry Processing Cluster scheme, which includes improved animal handling facilities as a component.
India is the world's 3rd largest egg producer and 5th largest poultry meat producer. The poultry sector has intensified rapidly, with large commercial integrators (Venkateshwara Hatcheries, Suguna Foods) operating major broiler and layer operations. Battery cages remain the dominant egg production system, with cage-free penetration below 5% of formal sector production.
International retailer supply chain requirements are beginning to create cage-free pressure in India's export-oriented processing sector, but the domestic market has minimal welfare requirements. Working conditions for poultry farm workers, particularly in processing plants, are also welfare concerns from a broader One Welfare perspective.
India has the world's largest working equine population — approximately 12 million donkeys, horses, and mules providing essential transport and agricultural services for smallholder farmers. Brooke India, SPANA, and the Donkey Sanctuary operate programs reaching millions of working animals through community veterinary camps, mahout training, and advocacy for improved management practices.
Working cattle welfare — particularly in plowing, cart pulling, and sugarcane crushing — involves welfare concerns around overworking, nose ring practices, and inadequate rest and nutrition. Indian animal welfare organizations document widespread overloading of working cattle carts on state highways.
Bangladesh has experienced explosive growth in its poultry sector. From a smallholder tradition, commercial broiler and layer production now dominates supply to Dhaka and other major cities. The Animal Welfare Act of Bangladesh (enacted 2019) was a significant milestone — the first dedicated animal welfare legislation in the country. Implementation is early-stage, with enforcement primarily through the Department of Livestock Services and a small cadre of trained inspectors.
Shrimp aquaculture (welfare discussed in the shrimp welfare pages) is a major industry with significant welfare dimensions. Bangladesh's freshwater fish aquaculture sector also raises welfare questions around stocking density and harvest methods. Cow slaughter for Eid al-Adha involves millions of animals per year; welfare organizations and religious scholars are collaborating on improved handling and slaughter guidance that respects Islamic principles while reducing animal suffering.
Pakistan's livestock sector contributes approximately 11% of GDP and supports 30–35 million rural families. Cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, and camels are primary species. Working donkeys are essential in urban and peri-urban transport — Pakistan has the world's 3rd largest donkey population. SPANA Pakistan operates significant working animal welfare programs in Karachi, Lahore, and agricultural regions.
Live animal transport from Pakistan to the Gulf states is a welfare concern — sheep and cattle are transported by sea in conditions that have attracted international scrutiny. Slaughter practices for halal meat — the dominant religious requirement — are undergoing reform discussions around stunning practices, with the Islamic scholars in the Pakistan Council of Islamic Ideology issuing guidance that mechanical neck cutting (following stunned unconsciousness) may be compatible with halal requirements under certain conditions.
Sri Lanka's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (1907, amended) is one of South Asia's oldest welfare laws. The Sri Lanka Veterinary Association and local NGOs including the Kandy Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are active. Companion animal welfare — particularly stray dog management in tourist areas — receives significant attention. The Colombo Municipal Council has implemented a TNR (trap-neuter-return) program for stray dogs. Temple elephant welfare is a significant issue — Sri Lanka has approximately 120 captive temple elephants, many of which are maintained under conditions that welfare assessors find problematic.
Nepal's Animal Welfare Act (1999) and subsequent regulations provide the framework. Livestock welfare is complicated by mountain geography — animals transported over high passes face physical demands that are challenging to regulate. The Gadhimai festival — a large religious gathering every five years that involves mass slaughter of buffalo and other animals — has attracted international welfare attention. Animal welfare organizations working with religious leaders to reduce animal numbers at religious ceremonies have achieved some success; the 2019 Gadhimai saw significantly fewer animals than previous festivals.
Working yaks, mules, and horses in mountain trekking routes are a welfare concern — overloading and inadequate rest are common. Tourism operators are increasingly responding to tourist concerns about pack animal welfare, with some trekking companies adopting welfare standards for animal-assisted trekking.
Shared progress across South Asia in 2025 includes: expanding mobile veterinary service networks; growing urban civil society advocacy for animal welfare; increasing corporate and NGO investment in working animal welfare programs; and regulatory frameworks that, while inconsistently enforced, are gradually strengthening.
Shared challenges include: limited veterinary infrastructure in rural areas; poverty-driven inadequate nutrition and healthcare for livestock; rapid intensification of poultry and dairy sectors without corresponding welfare standards; and enforcement gaps in existing welfare legislation.
FAO's South Asia regional office and OIE/WOAH have programs supporting veterinary capacity and welfare standard development across the region, contributing to gradual institutional strengthening.
Tags: South Asia India Bangladesh Pakistan Livestock 2025