Prof Sara Davies1, Dr Melodie Ruwet1
1Griffith University, Australia
Biography:
Prof. Sara Davies is a Professor at Griffith University and the Project Lead for the Indo-Pacific Initiative for Sustainable Animal Health cooperation (IPI-SAHC).
Dr. Mélodie Ruwet is a Research Fellow in Animal Health at Griffith University, working on the Indo-Pacific Initiative for Sustainable Animal Health cooperation (IPI-SAHC).
Abstract:
Pandemics and spillover events – when pathogens jump from animal to human hosts – have shown us that the good health of animals is crucial to the good health of humans. One Health is a perspective that recognizes the intersection between human, animal and environmental health. But human health and animal health are not conceptualised in the same manner. The WHO defines health (implicitly human health) holistically, as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”1, however the World Organisation for Animal Health considers animal health “a key component of animal welfare”2 rather than including animal well-being or welfare within animal health. How does this conceptual difference translate into regimes?
Good husbandry practices and well-being can keep animals free of disease, yet international collaboration on animal health has been focused on governing diseases (and outbreaks), more than species (and well-being). In this paper, we look at animal health governance at the international and regional level (Asia and the Pacific) through a polycentric approach and interrogate the extent to which livestock well-being is (or not) included in animal health (and One Health) norms and policies. We discuss it in the light of pandemic prevention and conclude that implementing good husbandry regulations (beyond biosecurity measures) at the regional and national level for livestock is an action that can advance the One Health agenda.