Welfare Science

Animal Welfare and One Health: Integrated Approach

The One Health framework recognising connections between human, animal, and environmental health creates opportunities for integrated welfare and health interventions.

Key Facts

Approximately 60% of known infectious diseases are zoonotic, with livestock a major reservoir
High-welfare, low-density animal production systems have lower zoonotic disease spillover risk
One Health frameworks are increasingly embedded in international health and agricultural policy
Veterinary, medical, and environmental health professionals are developing collaborative One Health approaches

Welfare Considerations

One Health thinking reveals that animal welfare is not separate from human health but deeply connected to it. Improving animal welfare through reduced crowding, better nutrition, and lower antibiotic use simultaneously reduces risks to human health. This alignment creates powerful coalitions for welfare reform.

What You Can Do

Engage with One Health organisations and frameworks that include animal welfare
Support research at the human-animal-environment health interface
Advocate for One Health approaches in public health policy that explicitly include animal welfare