A survey of measurable progress in animal welfare globally — what has improved, what metrics are advancing, and where the most significant remaining challenges lie.
Progress in animal welfare, while insufficient relative to the scale of suffering, is real and measurable. Corporate commitments that seemed impossible a decade ago are now being implemented at scale. Regulatory frameworks that once ignored animal welfare are incorporating it as a stated objective. Scientific understanding of animal sentience has advanced from contested fringe position to mainstream scientific consensus. The welfare improvement trajectory is positive, but the pace remains insufficient for the billions of animals whose welfare depends on systemic change. Understanding and celebrating genuine progress provides both evidence that advocacy works and motivation to continue — while maintaining clear-eyed acknowledgment of how far remaining challenges exceed current progress.