Zoonotic diseases emerge at the interface between human, animal, and environmental health. Animal welfare and pandemic prevention are more connected than is commonly appreciated.
The conditions that cause poor animal welfare in intensive systems - high density, stress-induced immunosuppression, lack of movement - also create ideal conditions for pathogen emergence and transmission. Improving farm animal welfare therefore has pandemic prevention co-benefits. Similarly, protecting wild animal habitat prevents the habitat encroachment that brings humans into contact with novel pathogens. The case for animal welfare from a One Health perspective is compelling even for people who do not assign intrinsic value to animal suffering.