International animal welfare law has advanced significantly through treaties, trade conditions, and international standards — but enforcement remains the primary challenge.
International animal welfare law represents the framework through which welfare improvements can be scaled beyond national borders. The OIE Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes include welfare chapters that provide the international reference point for farm and transport animal welfare. EU trade conditions requiring equivalent welfare standards from exporting countries have driven welfare improvements in several trading partners. However, enforcement of international standards remains weak, and no binding global welfare treaty exists. The fragmented, voluntary nature of most international animal welfare governance limits the pace of global improvement. Strengthening international welfare law through both advocacy and trade leverage is a high-priority welfare strategy.