International animal welfare law is fragmented and non-binding, with WOAH guidelines providing the primary global framework but lacking enforcement mechanisms.
The absence of binding international welfare law means that global trade in animal products can circumvent higher domestic welfare standards through import competition. An animal protected from suffering in production in one country can be replaced by an imported product from a country with no equivalent protections. International welfare law reform is one of the highest-leverage policy areas for global welfare improvement, but faces significant trade and sovereignty barriers.