One Health Integration

One Health Integration focuses on highlighting the Human-Animal Bond (HAB) when considering how to best support the health and well-being of humans, animals, and their communities. To achieve the best outcome for people, animals, and the environment in a shared ecosystem we need to offer successful public health interventions with cooperation between professionals in all three sectors.

• human health/welfare professionals

• animal health/welfare professionals

• environmental health/welfare professionals

Historically, animal shelters and animal services agencies have operated largely in isolation, cut off from larger community conversations about human health and environmental well-being. 

 

• Animal welfare and human services have historically created barriers to accessing care for humans and their animals by not offering an integrated model.

• Low-income families face similar issues for themselves and their animals needing healthcare, resources, and support.

• The culture of human services, animal welfare, and environmental agencies needs to shift from the deeply ingrained approach of addressing the problems of their sector only.

• Animal welfare has been focusing on animals without a people-centric approach.

• The environmental factors that affect the welfare of people and animals in communities are not often considered in a proactive approach.

 

When we consider animal shelters through a One Health framework, the health of animals is connected to the health of people and our environment. In other words, to address the root causes that lead to animal welfare issues, we need to connect to and collaborate with organizations outside of the animal world.