Welfare Science

One Health and Animal Welfare: Connections and Opportunities

Exploring the One Health framework and its implications for animal welfare across farmed, wild, and companion animals.

Key Facts

One Health recognises links between human, animal, and ecosystem health
Zoonotic disease risk directly linked to intensive farming conditions
Antibiotic resistance in animals threatens human medicine
Wildlife trade welfare problems create pandemic risk pathways
Improving animal welfare reduces risk of zoonotic disease emergence

Welfare Considerations

The One Health framework highlights that human, animal, and ecological wellbeing are inseparable. Poor animal welfare in intensive farming creates conditions for disease emergence and antibiotic resistance. Improving welfare standards not only benefits animals directly but reduces risks to human health and ecosystem integrity. This alignment strengthens the case for ambitious welfare reform.

What You Can Do

Support One Health approaches in animal welfare and public health advocacy
Advocate for antibiotic stewardship linked to welfare improvement
Reduce consumption of intensively farmed products that drive pandemic risk