Keeping too many animals in too small a space, often in darkened, filthy and crowded conditions, provides viruses like Avian Influenza the conditions they need to spread rapidly. As they replicate at speed, mutations can occur in the virus’ DNA, causing new strains to emerge. This allows new and deadlier strains to form and spread quickly.

So, contrary to the myth levied by the industrial farming industry, keeping animals indoors simply increases the risk of disease.

The coronavirus tragedy, and Swine flu a decade earlier, have shown that treating animals as mere commodities – be they domesticated or wild – is like playing Russian Roulette with peoples’ health.

ONE HEALTH, ONE WELFARE

What I’ve come to see is that a key component of reducing the risk of devastating diseases tomorrow, is to reconnect with our humanity for animals today.

The coronavirus epidemic is not a warning, but a potent demonstration of what is going wrong, what life could become. A global lifestyle that just months ago seemed invincible, suddenly seems extremely fragile.

The way that the wellbeing of people, animals and the environment are interlinked have become increasingly clear.

Factory farming is a public health disaster waiting to happen and it is clear that future generations will be well served by its abandonment.

For animals, people and the planet, let’s end factory farming.