The global wildlife trade hurts animals, but when wild animals are handled by humans, humans can also be hurt by the transmission of disease.
The impact of the current pandemic in terms of loss of human life, physical and mental health, the global economy, livelihoods, and the quality of public life has been utterly devastating and cannot be underestimated. Global and national action to curb the wildlife trade is one of the most effective strategies to prevent future pandemics and is necessary to reduce animal suffering and protect biodiversity.
Global leaders have the power to end the wildlife trade and right now the US has a unique opportunity to address these issues.
The Preventing Future Pandemics Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by House Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Fred Upton (R-MI), and Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Cornyn (R-TX), would:
- Help shut down commercial wildlife markets overseas and the cruel wildlife trade that fuels them.
- End the import, export, and sale of terrestrial wildlife for food and traditional medicine in the United States.
- Phase-out demand for wildlife as a food source by encouraging alternative forms of food production.
While we ultimately need to see an end to the wildlife trade for all purposes, not just human consumption, this bill is an important step in helping to avoid another global health crisis and will prevent millions of animals from being cruelly bred in captivity or poached from the wild.
This global crisis has exposed the urgent need to keep wild animals in the wild – something we have spent decades fighting for.
Now is the time to come together to end the suffering of wild animals and protect people. Help us urge Congress to pass this bill. If you can, please consider making a donation to World Animal Protection to help us continue to mobilize animal lovers like you and continue the fight to end the wildlife trade.
Liz Cabrera Holtz/ Wildlife Campaign Manager – World Animal Protection