Despite significant ongoing welfare challenges, measurable progress across legislation, science, and consumer behavior gives reason for genuine optimism about the trajectory of animal welfare globally.
Progress in animal welfare is real, measurable, and accelerating. Fifty years ago, the sentience of fish, shrimp, and insects was barely discussed; today it shapes policy and regulation. Battery cages and veal crates have been banned in jurisdictions representing billions of consumers. The moral circle is expanding - slowly, unevenly, but genuinely. The work ahead is vast, but the direction of travel is toward a world where animals suffer less.