Global Animal Welfare Progress: Measuring What Matters

Assessing progress in global animal welfare requires robust metrics that capture suffering and wellbeing across billions of animals in diverse systems.

Key Facts

The World Animal Protection Global Animal Protection Index scores countries on their animal welfare legislation and commitment
The number of animals living in poor welfare conditions globally runs into the hundreds of billions when farmed and aquaculture animals are counted
Farm animal welfare improvements are most advanced in Northern Europe, while aquatic animal welfare regulation lags globally
The welfare of wild animals — both free-living and in captivity — remains largely outside formal regulatory frameworks
Citizen science, remote sensing, and AI tools are increasingly used to monitor animal welfare at scale

Welfare Considerations

Measuring progress in animal welfare is itself a welfare intervention. What gets measured gets managed. Countries and industries that track welfare outcomes — pain indicators, mortality rates, behaviour expression — improve faster than those relying solely on input standards. Investment in welfare science, measurement methodology, and public reporting is a precondition for meaningful global progress.

What You Can Do

Support organisations developing and applying animal welfare metrics at national and international scale
Advocate for your government to participate in and improve its score on the Global Animal Protection Index
Use welfare certification schemes that include outcome-based measures rather than solely input-based standards
Share animal welfare data and progress stories — public awareness drives political will for welfare reform