Animal Welfare Global Progress and Remaining Challenges

Animal welfare has made significant progress globally over recent decades, but enormous challenges remain particularly for farm and wild animals.

Key Facts

Cage-free egg commitments from major food companies have eliminated hundreds of millions of cage spaces
Farm animal welfare legislation is improving in the EU and some other jurisdictions
Wild animal welfare is an emerging field with growing scientific and philosophical attention
Alternative proteins including cultivated meat could eliminate many farm animal welfare harms
The total number of animals suffering globally remains vast despite improvements

Welfare Considerations

Progress in animal welfare over recent decades has been real and significant - millions fewer hens in battery cages, growing recognition of fish sentience, expanding legislative protection. But the scale of remaining challenge is humbling - tens of billions of farm animals, hundreds of billions of fish, and unknowable numbers of wild animals experience suffering that could be reduced. Sustaining and accelerating progress requires continued advocacy, research, and consumer action.

What You Can Do

Celebrate welfare progress to maintain motivation for continued advocacy
Support effective animal welfare organisations tackling the highest-impact causes
Share animal welfare knowledge to raise awareness and build the movement