Wet markets that sell live wild animals create conditions for zoonotic disease emergence while causing significant animal welfare harms.
Wet markets and live wildlife trade create a welfare crisis independent of their pandemic risk. Animals are typically transported in cramped containers, held without adequate food or water, and subjected to slaughter in highly stressful conditions. Species are mixed that would never encounter each other in nature, creating disease transmission opportunities. The welfare and biosafety arguments for reform are mutually reinforcing: better animal welfare conditions (improved housing, reduced crowding, rapid slaughter) also reduce disease transmission risk. One Health frameworks that integrate animal and human health offer the most productive policy approach.