Live animal transport causes welfare harm globally, with international trade in livestock creating some of the worst welfare situations. Standards and enforcement vary enormously.
International live animal transport represents some of the most severe and prolonged welfare harms in modern agriculture. Long sea journeys subject cattle and sheep to heat stress, disease, injury, and dehydration over periods of weeks. Casualty rates on long voyages can run into thousands of animals. Reforming international transport requires coordinated action across exporting countries, shipping regulations, and importing country requirements. Shifting from live export to chilled meat trade — processing animals near origin and shipping meat — eliminates long-transport welfare harms while maintaining international trade. Several countries have implemented or are implementing this shift.