In 1988, the global trade in all live animals was worth $716m (£548m); by 2017 that had risen to $21bn, according to Comtrade data. Every day at least 5 million creatures are in transit, in a secretive global trade in live farm animals. In the Middle East, in particular, animal imports have risen markedly: in 2016, Saudi Arabia alone imported nearly $1bn worth of live animals. The European Union has a set of regulations that cover live animal transport within the boundaries, and are supposed to cover them beyond. “Mostly exporters are good,” said vet Paul Roger, chair of the UK-based Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association.

Source: The Guardian January 20, 2020 12:11 UTC