Preventing the pandemic of tomorrow, together

COVID-19 has taught us many things, and one of these hard-hitting truths is that we must improve the way that humans treat animals. As three-fourths of emerging human infectious diseases come from animals, the world’s leading scientists and experts have shown us the link between animal welfare and increasing pandemic risk. But the political will to curtail that risk is absent. We cannot let this happen – again!

Around the globe, 2020 stretched us all to our limits and we have now reached a pivotal point in society. Yet these hard times have now given us a vital opportunity to change how we live and change the way animals are treated around the world.

Billions of animals are subjected to horrific treatment, cramped conditions, poor hygiene, stress, injuries and disease, minimal veterinary care, and lack of genetic diversity as a result of human industries. The appalling conditions make them a ticking time bomb for pandemic disease risk. Already multiple fur farms have reported COVID-19 outbreaks. It is time to demand change!

We cannot do this alone. Governments hold the key and have an opportunity to take bold action now to prevent future pandemics. Help us to tell decision makers this cannot wait any longer – they must use this pandemic as a turning point.

Demand a world of higher animal welfare!

Resetting our system for a better tomorrow

The world needs a reset of our relationship with animals. We must treat our planet and all its inhabitants with more respect, care and compassion – for their sake and ours.

International institutions and national governments need to tackle the root causes of zoonotic disease emergence in a holistic approach which recognises animal welfare as one major aspect in the prevention of pandemics and must take action to improve animal welfare. The One Welfare Framework could serve as a guiding framework towards treating our planet and all its inhabitants with more respect, care and compassion – for their sake and ours.

The political response to prevent future pandemics must focus on changing our animal industries and making our food and agricultural systems more resilient and banning practices that increase the risk of zoonotic disease emergence and spread, like the commercial wildlife trade, the dog and cat meat trade and fur farming.

Closing all fur farms

to end the cruel and deadly fur industry. The battery cage systems with cramped conditions cause immense animal suffering, create ideal conditions for viruses and present a serious public-health risk. Read more about the deadly fur trade!

Banning the commercial trade of wild animals

for human consumption, for traditional medicine and private keeping. We need to immediately close all markets that sell live wild animals to protect animals, ecosystems and humans. Learn more about ending the wildlife trade!

Ending factory farming

to stop the unnecessary suffering! We need to end cage keeping of farm animals, long-distance live animal transports and all cruel practices that make animals sick or favour the spreading of diseases.
Learn more here!

Reducing the global production and consumption of animal products

The global production and consumption of animal products

Choose plant-based alternatives to reduce consumption of animal products and ensure that any animal products originate from higher welfare production systems. Find our more!

Ending the trade and consumption of dog and cat meat

#ProtectMillions

Ending the dog and cat meat trade to stop the immense cruelty, help eradicate current zoonoses such as rabies and cholera and prevent the real risk of future zoonoses emerging.
Learn more!

When animals suffer and endure cruelty, they are weakened and vulnerable, creating the perfect conditions for disease to spread between animals. Because there is so much exchange of disease between these animals, some pathogens develop the ability to jump to humans – and have deadly consequences, just like we are seeing with COVID-19. When they suffer, we suffer!