Animal welfare law varies dramatically between countries, creating significant disparities in protection for animals and enabling welfare arbitrage through international trade.
The gap between countries with strong animal welfare legislation and those with minimal legal protection creates both ethical and economic problems. Products from countries with lower welfare standards can undercut those from higher-welfare producers, creating a race to the bottom. International trade agreements that include welfare provisions — like the EU's Farm to Fork strategy — can leverage market access to drive global welfare improvement. Domestic reform, international advocacy, and trade policy are all essential tools.