Animal Welfare in the Global South

Animal welfare challenges in low- and middle-income countries differ from those in wealthy nations. Context-specific approaches that respect local realities are essential.

Key Facts

90% of the world's farmed animals are in low- and middle-income countries with minimal welfare regulation
Working animal populations - horses, donkeys, bullocks - number over 600 million globally
Veterinary access is severely limited in many rural communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America
Mobile veterinary clinics and community animal health workers expand welfare capacity
Cultural attitudes to animals differ significantly across regions, requiring culturally sensitive approaches

Welfare Considerations

Imposing welfare standards designed for wealthy nations on communities without the infrastructure, resources or cultural context is neither effective nor equitable. Effective welfare improvement in LMICs works through community animal health worker training, mobile vet services, accessible education and economic incentives that align welfare with productivity. Organisations like the Brooke work with working horse and donkey owners to improve welfare within existing systems rather than imposing external standards. Building local welfare capacity creates sustainable improvement.

What You Can Do

Support organisations like the Brooke, SPANA and World Horse Welfare working in LMICs
Engage with global south welfare advocacy that respects cultural diversity and local expertise
Donate to community animal health worker training programmes
Advocate for international development frameworks to include animal welfare alongside human health
Learn about working animal welfare challenges in specific countries before donating