Can animal welfare be prioritized over trade? This paper explores the relationship between animal rights and international trade law, and the challenges and opportunities that arise when these two areas intersect. Global animal treaty law focuses on preserving animal populations but neglects their treatment and adaptation to their environment. Animal welfare regulations are seen as domestic issues, limiting cross-border dialogue, and hindering efforts to regulate animal treatment in international trade. Animals are also treated as commodities, making it difficult to regulate their treatment without impeding trade. The paper argues for a balance between free trade and animal welfare standards, with stronger regulations and enforcement mechanisms to ensure animal welfare is considered in international trade. Despite limitations, trade law has the potential to drive changes in global animal treaty law by prioritizing animal needs and injustices. The paper concludes that although the WTO is not ideal for advancing animal interests, trade law has the potential to encourage more extensive transformations in global animal treaty law by centering attention on animals, their needs, and the injustices they face without legal protections.
