Table 1.

Variations in approaches to animal welfare legislation and recognition of animal sentience for the top three pork-producing countries, globally.

Pig Production Volume by Country and Associated Legislative Protection
Rank	Country [36]	Tonnes of Meat, Pig [36]	Animal Welfare Legislation on Transport, Slaughter, and Rearing	Recognition of Animal Sentience and Veterinarian’s Role
1	China	41,133,300	The term “animal welfare” is not included in the present legislation [37] Transport: Animal Husbandry Law 2005 [38,39] Slaughter: Regulations on Administration of Hog Slaughter 1997 (revised 2007) [38] No legislation specifically on rearing of pigs [38,40]	Animal sentience not formally recognized [40] Veterinarians are not formally recognized as animal welfare advocates [41,42]
2	USA	12,845,097	Transport: Twenty-Eight hour Law [43,44] Slaughter: Humane Slaughter Act [43,45] No federal legislation specifically on rearing of pigs, but there are state by-laws [43]	Animal sentience is not formally recognized at the federal level, but there is legislation that recognizes suffering [43] Veterinarians are responsible for the animal health and welfare [46]
3	Germany	5,118,000	Transport: Council Directive EC 1/2005 [47] Slaughter: Council Directive EC No 1099/2009 [48] Rearing of pigs: Regulation on the Protection of Farm Animals at federal level, Council Directive 2008/120/EC at EU level [49,50,51]	Animal sentience is recognized in the Lisbon Treaty Veterinarians are responsible for animal health and welfare [52]