The petition represents the significant and growing worldwide support for Pawprint – WSPA's campaign to put farm animal welfare on the agenda at Rio+20 in June.

Every day, billions of animals suffer on industrial farms, says WSPA. Pigs, chickens and cows are unable to move freely, breathe fresh air or even feel the sunlight. Not only is this one of the worst animal abuses in the world, it also has negative effects on the environment, poverty and human health. Through Pawprint, people from every corner of the globe have asked world leaders to include animal welfare as part of the discussions at Rio+20.

"We are thrilled that tens of thousands of people around the world have acknowledged that the well-being of animals is crucial to the future of people and our planet," said Luis Carlos Sarmiento, Country Director of WSPA-South America. "Now, more than ever, it is evident that better animal welfare belongs on the conference agenda."

"It is very encouraging to see such vast support for implementation of comprehensive humane and sustainable agriculture practices," said Mr Lalonde. "Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture is one of the priority areas that will be addressed at Rio+20."

In the lead up to the conference in June, WSPA has sponsored high-level expert meetings, and developed several credible reports and farm-based case studies – all of which showcase that humane farming is a viable, environmentally-friendly alternative to intensive industrial production methods. WSPA's goal is to lobby five recommendations to the UN, national government delegates and the agricultural industry:

1. Develop policies for sustainable food supplies
2. Manage the unsustainable demand for farm animal products
3. Support research and development of humane and sustainable agriculture
4. Phase out subsidies and investments in unsustainable, inhumane systems
5. Recognizes the importance of farm animal welfare to poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods

In addition to helping the animals themselves, WSPA says humane and sustainable treatment of farm animals has been shown to provide a series of health, safety and environmental benefits:

• Meat from grass-fed cattle can contain as little as half the fat of that reared in intensive, grain-fed farming
• Cage-free poultry farms in the UK were found to be significantly less likely to harbour bacteria that can cause deadly food poisoning
• Grass-fed beef production can use just half the fossil fuel energy of intensive industrial farming

WSPA added that, as ranchers in the US have shown, farms that allow cows to graze on pasture are creating long-term local jobs.