Live animal transport over long distances is a major source of welfare suffering affecting hundreds of millions of animals annually.
Long-distance live animal transport causes suffering across multiple dimensions: exhaustion, hunger, thirst, extreme temperatures, injury from falls, and the stress of social disruption in unfamiliar groups. Regulatory standards are weak and enforcement is minimal, especially on international voyages. The alternative — transporting meat rather than live animals — is commercially viable and eliminates most welfare costs while maintaining trade value.