Animal Welfare in Lower-Income Countries: Challenges and Progress

Animal welfare conditions in lower-income countries face distinctive challenges including limited veterinary infrastructure, working animal dependence, and different regulatory frameworks, requiring tailored approaches.

Key Facts

An estimated 600 million working animals — horses, donkeys, camels — are used worldwide, mostly in lower-income countries
The World Organisation for Animal Health has 182 member countries signed to voluntary animal welfare standards
Donkeys are essential for livelihoods in over 40 countries but face severe neglect and overwork
Market animal welfare — transport, slaughter — receives far less attention than farm conditions in many regions
A small number of international NGOs including the Brooke and SPANA work directly with working animals globally

Welfare Considerations

Working animals in lower-income countries frequently experience severe welfare conditions: wounds from ill-fitting harnesses, overloading, denial of water, and veterinary neglect. Their welfare is inseparable from the livelihoods of extremely poor farming families, meaning simple bans or condemnation are not helpful. Effective interventions pair welfare improvement with livelihood security — teaching harness fitting, wound management, and appropriate rest enables better animal welfare without undermining family income. Slaughter conditions in many regions cause prolonged suffering due to lack of access to humane equipment.

What You Can Do

Donate to organizations like The Brooke, SPANA, or World Horse Welfare working with animals in developing contexts
Support international animal welfare standards through your government's foreign affairs engagement
Choose coffee, cocoa, and other commodities from schemes that include animal welfare standards
Avoid volunteer tourism involving working animals unless organizations meet welfare audit standards
Advocate for animal welfare to be included in international development frameworks and aid conditionality