Welfare Science

Animal Welfare One Health Connections

One Health frameworks recognize connections between animal, human, and environmental health. Animal welfare improvements often yield collateral human and ecosystem benefits.

Key Facts

Antibiotic stewardship in livestock is essential for human AMR management
Zoonotic disease prevention through animal welfare reduces pandemic risk
Mental health benefits from companion animal welfare are well-documented
Healthy ecosystems supported by wildlife welfare provide human health services
Livestock welfare improvements often reduce environmental impact simultaneously

Welfare Considerations

Animal welfare and human health are not competing priorities but complementary ones. Improved livestock welfare reduces antibiotic use, lowering AMR risk. Better wildlife health reduces zoonotic spillover risk. Companion animal welfare supports human mental health. One Health frameworks that recognize these connections make the case for animal welfare investment to audiences motivated by human health as well as animal ethics.

What You Can Do

Share One Health arguments for animal welfare with human health advocates
Support organizations that integrate animal welfare into One Health frameworks
Learn about the connections between antibiotic stewardship, welfare, and AMR
Advocate for animal welfare investment as part of pandemic preparedness planning