Animal welfare law varies enormously across countries. Understanding the global legislative landscape helps advocates identify where change is most needed and most achievable.
The global animal welfare legislative landscape has changed dramatically over 30 years, but significant gaps remain. The most critical gap in most countries is farm animals — the species most affected by human activity receive the least legal protection. The absence of federal farm animal welfare law in the United States is a major policy failure given the scale of US animal agriculture. In contrast, some EU countries have robust farm animal standards that demonstrate the economic and social feasibility of higher welfare systems. The trend toward recognizing animal sentience as a legal principle — and extending protections beyond mammals to fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates — is positive. Sustained public engagement, corporate accountability campaigns, and legislative advocacy are the levers through which welfare law will continue to strengthen.