Animals and Free Trade Agreements: Commercialisation and Obfuscation of Animals

Free trade agreements (FTAs) are the newest site of tension between animals’ interests and the trade liberalisation project. This chapter explores how animals’ interests are put at serious risk by the increasing turn to FTAs to achieve trade liberalisation objectives. First, this chapter provides an overview of the evolving treatment of animals in FTAs. Second, this chapter analyses how provisions on animal welfare in FTAs and in proposals developed by NGOs could impact animals’ lives in order to assess their effectiveness. Finally, this chapter briefly outlines new proposals for global animal law policy and norm development on trade and animal welfare in the context of FTAs. The conclusion is reached that animal welfare provisions in FTAs are leading to norm and policy development that could ultimately cause more harm than good by acquiescing with animal commodification and facilitating practices that are contrary to animal welfare protection