Animal welfare laws vary enormously between countries. Understanding the legal landscape helps advocates identify where change is most needed and what approaches have been effective.
National animal welfare laws differ fundamentally in approach. Some prohibit specific cruel acts (cruelty-based legislation); others impose positive duties to ensure welfare is promoted (duty-of-care legislation). The UK Animal Welfare Act 2006 combines both approaches and has been influential globally. However, farm animals are frequently explicitly excluded from general animal welfare legislation and covered by separate, weaker sectoral rules. Enforcement capacity in most countries is far below what is needed — in England, fewer than 300 RSPCA inspectors cover the entire country. Internationally, trade in animal products provides powerful economic incentives to maintain low welfare standards in exporting countries.