India transports hundreds of millions of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats annually in conditions that routinely violate basic welfare requirements, causing enormous preventable suffering.
Livestock transport welfare in India operates at a scale and severity that makes it one of the most significant animal welfare challenges globally. The informal and largely unregulated nature of livestock transport outside official channels means that millions of animals experience severe dehydration, exhaustion, injury and death during transport annually. The welfare evidence — visible from roadside observations and documented by welfare organisations — shows overcrowding, no food or water provision, severe heat stress and injuries from rough handling. Reform requires enforcement of existing regulations combined with practical support for the informal transport sector to improve conditions.