Zoonotic diseases — infections that pass between animals and humans — are closely linked to animal welfare conditions, with poor welfare environments creating the conditions for pathogen emergence and transmission.
The link between animal welfare and human disease risk is well established. Overcrowded, stress-compromised animals with suppressed immune systems are more susceptible to infection and more likely to shed pathogens. Poor slaughter hygiene increases exposure risk for workers. The One Health framework recognises that human, animal and environmental health are interconnected — improving animal welfare is simultaneously a public health intervention. This creates a powerful argument for welfare reform that resonates beyond the animal ethics community.