Call for Animal Welfare to be Addressed in Covid-19 Recovery Policies and Financing in The Animals’ Manifesto

On October 4th, World Animal Day, World Animal Net and over 80 animal protection organizations from across the world, including Brighter Green, join together to call for animal welfare to be addressed in Covid-19 recovery policies and financing.

The fact that the COVID-19 crisis very likely arose from the exploitation of animals has drawn greater attention to how human uses of animals can increase the risk of future pandemics. In July, a report released by the UN Environment Program and the International Livestock Research Institute identified the increase in consumption of animal products, intensification of animal production systems, and wildlife exploitation as primary drivers of pandemic risk. 

It is therefore imperative that to reduce the future risk of pandemics global leaders take concrete steps to incorporate One Health and One Welfare into policies. One Health is a concept which recognizes the linkages between human, animal and environmental health, while One Welfare extends this concept to other aspects of wellbeing, such as food security and livelihoods. Incorporating a One Welfare approach is key to eliminating policy silos and ensuring an equitable, sustainable and humane future.

You can read The Animals’ Manifesto here.