Support the Global Wildlife Health and Pandemic Prevention Act

This bipartisan U.S. Senate bill would help end the sale of wildlife species in live animal markets for human consumption, a practice tied to the recent outbreak of COVID-19. The Global Wildlife Health and Pandemic Prevention Act would force the U.S. government to identify and shut down high-risk wild animal markets around the world that pose threats to public health and increase global capacity for zoonotic disease prevention, surveillance and response.

The current coronavirus pandemic is the wake-up call needed to help end the cruel exploitation of animals. Some 60% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they originate from animals, and 70% are believed to originate from wild animals.

A ban on wildlife markets for human consumption is an essential component in preventing future outbreaks of novel human diseases. It will also help avoid some of the worst cruelties inflicted on wild animals.

Together we can end wildlife exploitation. Forever.

The risk to global health is not limited to these types of wildlife markets, however. The threats of zoonotic disease transmission are inherent to each and every step of global wildlife trade, including poaching, farming, live transport, and trade via physical markets, or those found online. 

Governments, corporations, and people should unite to curb the use of wild animals for food, entertainment, medicine, or to be kept as exotic pets.

Join World Animal Protection’s global campaign to ban the global wildlife trade.

Until then, it is crucial to support legislation that takes a significant step forward in that direction.