Speculation on the source of Covid-19 still needs to be scientifically proven, but the origin of the virus being a wildlife market is entirely plausible. These markets sell wild animals, alongside dog and cat meat and domestic farmed animals, both dead and alive with little or no hygiene practices or regulation.

In the past we’ve seen SARS virus jump to humans from civet cats, which are also sold in markets as pets and for consumption. And, many more viruses like avian influenza, MERS, Ebola, HIV and many other Emerging Infectious Diseases originated in animal, and a staggering 70% of emerging infectious diseases have come from wild animals. These zoonoses pose a huge public health, biosafety and even global security risk.

Wildlife globally has been packaged up and sold on an industrial scale so that animals are taken from their natural environments or commercially farmed, exposing them to stress and cruelty, and creating a hotbed for disease. 

So, what are we doing about it? FOUR PAWS UK has officially joined the Coalition to Ban the Commercial Wildlife Trade alongside other organisations, calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to support a global commercial wildlife trade ban at the G20 meeting of global leaders in November, to help prevent a future pandemic.

Collectively we have the power to protect animals and the planet, but we need to #LiveKinder - kinder in what we eat, kinder in what we do and kinder in how we treat animals and the planet.

Please take some time out of your day to take one small step to helping animals and planet. Sign this petition and #LiveKinder. 

Find out more about our campaign to end the commercial wildlife trade here.