Welfare Science

Animal Welfare and Planetary Health Connections

How animal welfare connects to planetary health through disease emergence, biodiversity, and food system sustainability.

Key Facts

Zoonotic diseases emerge from human-animal interfaces in wildlife and farming
Antibiotic resistance linked to animal agriculture threatens human medicine
Biodiversity loss from land conversion for animal feed threatens ecosystem services
Plant-based food systems reduce land use and associated animal welfare impacts
One Health frameworks integrate animal, human, and environmental health

Welfare Considerations

Animal welfare is inseparable from planetary health, and improving conditions for animals often delivers co-benefits for human health and environmental sustainability.

What You Can Do

Support One Health approaches that integrate animal welfare
Advocate for policies that reduce pandemic risk through improved farm conditions
Learn about the connections between diet, animal welfare, and planetary health