Mass Killings Are Merely Symptomatic Treatment
04.11.2025 | from FOUR PAWS - Animal Welfare Foundation
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04.11.2025, The unusually early start of the avian flu season this year is cause for concern. Several outbreaks have already been reported in the United States, Japan, and several European countries, where an unprecedented scale has been reached compared to previous years. Due to the rapid spread, fear of a new avian flu epidemic is growing. Since the beginning of the bird flu season in October, the virus has led to the mass death of animals. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), around 907,222 poultry died in September from the highly pathogenic virus or were culled.
«It is extremely concerning that mass killings of animals in the fight against bird flu have become normalized. Instead of just addressing symptoms, we must tackle the root causes of the problem. Fur and intensive farming are breeding grounds for pandemics: overcrowded, cruel, and unhygienic conditions accelerate the transmission, spread, and mutation of viruses such as the highly pathogenic bird flu. We urgently need to reduce the number of farmed animals and end fur farming. Transitioning to smaller farms with higher animal welfare standards can reduce the risk of disease, killings, animal suffering, and financial losses for farmers», says Nina Jamal, responsible for Global Affairs at FOUR PAWS.
The global animal welfare organization emphasizes that biosecurity, surveillance and control, transport restrictions, and vaccinations are important tools in containing bird flu outbreaks but do not address the underlying causes.
Prevention must start at the source
As data show, more than half of all zoonotic diseases in humans are linked to the intensification of agriculture since 1940. «To protect the health of humans and animals, prevention at the source is crucial. We urgently call on all governments to sign, ratify, and implement the pandemic agreement as soon as it is open for signature. By embedding One Health, this agreement is the first legally binding instrument that acknowledges the close link between human health, the environment, and animal welfare. The pandemic agreement includes commitments to prevent the spread of pathogens before humans and animals suffer», adds Jamal.
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Conclusion of this article: « Mass Killings Are Merely Symptomatic Treatment »
FOUR PAWS - Animal Welfare Foundation
FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organization for animals under direct human influence, recognizing grievances, rescuing animals in need, and protecting them. Founded in 1988 by Heli Dungler and friends in Vienna, the organization advocates for a world where humans treat animals with respect, compassion, and understanding. Its sustainable campaigns and projects focus on stray dogs and cats, as well as companion, farm, and wild animals—such as bears, big cats, and orangutans—from inadequate keeping, as well as from disaster and conflict zones.
With offices in Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Great Britain, Kosovo, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the USA, and Vietnam, as well as rescue centres for animals in 11 countries, FOUR PAWS ensures rapid assistance and long-term solutions. In Switzerland, the animal welfare foundation is a cooperation partner of Arosa Bear Sanctuary, the first bear protection centre providing an appropriate habitat for rescued bears from poor conditions.
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Source: FOUR PAWS - Animal Welfare Foundation, Press release
Original article published on: Massentötungen sind bloss Symptombekämpfung