12 Introduction
The concept of One Welfare is a collaborative approach for integrating
animal welfare, human well-being and the environment, with an end point
of improving global welfare and achieving gains in development.
It encompasses multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary ways of working. It
is a three-dimensional concept that covers a number of areas and intends
to help to integrate animal welfare within other disciplines for a more com-
prehensive and holistic approach at individual, community and global level.
It goes beyond individual welfare and also comprises the wider aspects of
societal welfare.
One Welfare can enable networks of public and private stakeholders
with the objective to improve global objectives.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a ‘state of
complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the ab-
sence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO, 2018). In this book welfare and
well-being are considered equivalent and go beyond the definition of
health to comprise emotion and the transient state that is connected to
welfare, and the terms ‘animal welfare’ and ‘human well-being’ mean
‘the state when individuals have the psychological, social and physical
in human medicine when compared to infectious disease or acute care, this
aspect of One Health runs the risk of being ignored and poorly supported
owing to the complexity of the area, and the fact that the evidence is at times
still being developed when it relates to animal–human mental states.
To provide sufficient attention to One Welfare issues it is important
that the concept develops recognition of its unique reality. To date, One
Health focuses very much on physical health, and not all welfare do-
mains have been considered. It could be argued that One Health and
One Welfare are different modes of the same concept. In terms of human
welfare there is also a great overlap between mental health issues and
human–animal welfare which One Health has not fully encompassed.
One Welfare helps fill that gap and creates a space for discussion outside
of a disease focus.
For One Welfare and One Health to be most effective, a close link is de-
sirable and it would be best if a true One Health–One Welfare approach de-
velops, encompassing all aspects of the broad scope covered. Incorporating
a unified approach to One Health and One Welfare is a proposal that aims
to break silos and benefit humans, animals and the planet.
Introduction to the One Welfare Framework and Definition
One Welfare describes the interrelationships between animal welfare, human
well-being and the physical and social environment.