‘One Welfare’ is the concept that animal welfare depends on and influences human wellbeing, biodiversity and the environment. A One Welfare approach to addressing animal welfare issues requires cross-disciplinary collaboration between stakeholders from relevant disciplines to work together towards a common goal for improving animal welfare, human wellbeing, biodiversity and environmental sustainability.

Acknowledging the interrelatedness of human and animal welfare is important for maximising welfare outcomes for both humans and animals.

A One Welfare approach in shelter environments would recognise the importance of reducing the traditional ‘rescue and rehome’, to a community support model focused on keeping people and animals together. Helping animals to stay in communities (when it is in the animal’s best interest to remain in their home) allows shelters to focus on animals most in need, frees up resources for use in preventative services (such as desexing and microchipping community drives), and fosters the human/animal bond that provides quality of life benefits to people and animals alike.

A One Welfare approach in animal industries would include recognising the impact of economic factors on a person’s ability to improve practices for better animal welfare. For example, commercial fishers who are financially struggling are less likely to invest in fishing gear that reduces the unintentional catching and injury of wild animals. Farmers who are financially struggling may be less able to improve farm infrastructure that would provide improved shade and shelter or more comfortable housing.