Animal Markets and Zoonotic Disease Risk in the United States with Ann Linder

The possibility that COVID-19 first infected humans at a live animal market in Wuhan, China inspired calls for countries to close these “wet markets” to mitigate zoonotic disease risk. Many calls focused on countries in Asia, but these markets operate inside the United States as well. This country is home to an extensive network of animal industries and practices that drive zoonotic disease emergence. The U.S. is the world’s largest importer of both domesticated animals and wildlife and is one of the world’s leading producers of livestock and captive wildlife. Yet according to a sweeping new report by Harvard Law School and New York University, Animal Markets and Zoonotic Disease in the United States, the U.S. “has no comprehensive strategy” to mitigate zoonotic disease risk from these practices. In this talk, moderated by LEAP Executive Director Viveca Morris, the report’s lead author Ann Linder will discuss the myriad forms of animal markets in the U.S. and the policymaking needed to address the risk they pose to human and nonhuman health alike.