Animal health and wellbeing in our complex world: the vital role of veterinarians and veterinary medicine

Everything is connected. Our emotional wellbeing relies on having family and friends and access to natural ecosystems in our lives. The health of our bodies relies on our intestinal microbiome. Our survival as a species relies on the health of our planet. The complex system that is the world around us directly impacts our health and wellbeing, and we have a responsibility to care for it. The non-animals in our world – our pets and livestock, as well as birds and other wildlife – are each integral parts of this system.  

Thus, we as humans have a fundamental responsibility to recognize and care for their health and wellbeing – not just because their health and wellbeing are inextricably linked to ours, but for their own sake and as essential parts of the wider system.  

Veterinarians and the field of veterinary medicine are critical stewards of our responsibility to the animals of the world. From vet surgeons repairing heart valves to field vets ensuring the welfare of farm animals to vet clinicians supporting us in times of grief at the loss of a companion, vets care for us and the animals that contribute so deeply to our lives. "Further, vets in the UK and around the world research new medicines, work with the ecology and public health sectors to identify new emerging diseases that may pose risks to animals and people, and train future vets with the knowledge and skills to practice veterinary medicine.  

One Health, One Medicine,  recognises humans, animals, and the environment as inextricably linked within the complex ecosystems that span the globe. By ensuring the health and wellbeing of the diversity of wild and domestic animals, including us as humans, veterinarians contribute to the One Health paradigm. In doing so, veterinarians play a vital role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of our planet.