Pandemic Ethics: Social Distancing for Animals

Katrien Devolder, Senior Research Fellow

Official Fellow (Ethics & Values)

Blog series: #reubenthinking


(NOTE: This is a shortened version of the blog by Katrien Devolder, first published on the Practical Ethics Blog)

Why do we force animals into close contact with each other, and with humans, while encouraging or even requiring humans to keep apart?  Dangerous viruses do not distinguish between human and non-human vectors, so why do we?

Factory farm with turkeys

The vast majority of countries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic have adopted social distancing measures ranging from rules dictating how close we may be to each other, to bans on indoor gatherings, to closures of schools and workplaces, to travel bans. These measures have come at a significant cost—to the economy, to our mental health, and to our relationships. But they have saved, and are still saving, many lives. In many cases, these measures are therefore widely considered justified and indeed of the utmost importance.

But if social distancing is crucial in confronting pandemics, why do we restrict it to humans?  After all, many of the most dangerous infectious diseases (including SARS, MERS, HIV-AIDS, and very likely Covid-19) originated in animals and were then transmitted to humans. Each year, such ‘zoonotic’ diseases infect one billion people and cause millions of deaths. If dangerous viruses do not distinguish between human and non-human vectors, why do we? Obviously, the risk of animal to human virus transmission is vastly increased the closer and the more frequent the physical contact between humans and animals, yet we increasingly capture and trade wild animals, encroach on their habitats, and keep billions of animals for food production.

Let’s focus on the latter: at any one time, there are billions of animals in factory farms, in close proximity to agricultural workers, and—of course—in close proximity to each other. The conditions the animals live and die in are highly conducive to zoonotic diseases. In the early 2000s, it was discovered that people working with farmed chickens were spreading a dangerous strain of avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) that so far is not very contagious, but kills 60% of people who test positive for the infection. In 2009/2010, the (H1N1) swine flu pandemic killed between 151,700 and 575,400 people worldwide. This pandemic was caused by a new and more deadly strain of a virus that was first identified in a factory farm for pigs in North Carolina.

The risk that the next pandemic will begin in a factory farm is high. Social distancing between animals, and between animals and humans is non-existent in industrial settings. If we agree human social distancing measures are a crucial tool in preventing and tackling pandemics, we should urgently extend these measures to animals. 

We should do as viruses do and treat animals and humans the same. The risk that the next pandemic will begin in a factory farm is high. Social distancing between animals, and between animals and humans is non-existent in these industrial settings. If we agree human social distancing measures are a crucial tool in preventing and tackling pandemics, we should urgently extend these measures to animals. We should do as viruses do and treat animals and humans the same.

Full references and further details of Katrien's argument are provided in the full blog on Practical Ethics.