International agricultural aid programmes that distribute livestock to poor communities must ensure that animal welfare standards are integrated into programme design to avoid creating new welfare problems.
International livestock aid welfare is a development ethics issue that has received growing attention. Well-intentioned programmes that provide livestock to poor communities without adequate veterinary support, training, and climate-appropriate species selection can result in animal suffering that provides little benefit to the recipients. Animals that die from diseases prevalent in the local environment, or that cannot adapt to climate conditions they were not bred for, represent both welfare failures and development failures. Programme design that integrates welfare -- appropriate species selection, veterinary support, community training, and monitoring that includes animal welfare indicators -- serves both the animals and the development goals more effectively.