The global pet trade involves billions of animals annually. Reform of supply chain welfare — from breeding through transport and retail — requires understanding where the most significant harms occur.
Pet trade welfare harms occur at multiple supply chain points. Wild collection of tropical fish involves cyanide poisoning at source reefs, transport in bags at low oxygen for days, and collection mortality that may reach 30%. Puppy farmed dogs in barren farm environments lack socialisation critical to behavioural development, producing fearful, anxious animals. Online pet sales enable impulse purchase of animals by unprepared owners. Transport welfare across the supply chain is inconsistently regulated. Reform requires multiple simultaneous interventions: wild collection certification, puppy farm licensing and inspection, online sale regulation, and consumer education. Lucy's Law in the UK has been effective at reducing puppy farm sourcing but has not eliminated poor welfare in home breeding.