Policies on pets for healthy cities: a conceptual framework

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Veterinary Public Health
• Health Promotion

Background:

• The One Health concept highlights the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
• The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion provides a foundation for public policy and caring practices.
• Local governments play a crucial role in managing human-pet interactions and ensuring animal welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline a conceptual framework for developing and assessing local government policies on pets.
• To integrate the One Health concept with health promotion principles for pet-related policies.
• To emphasize the interdependence of human and animal well-being within urban ecosystems.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual framework development.
• Integration of One Health principles and the Ottawa Charter.
• Identification of five key spheres of local government activity related to pets.

Main Results:

• A framework is presented with five intersecting spheres of activity: preventing threats, meeting pet needs, ethical procurement, veterinary services, and licensing/identification.
• The framework acknowledges existing health promotion principles while proposing advancements.
• It underscores the dynamic relationship between people, pets, and urban environments.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework advances understanding of health promotion and population health by recognizing human-pet interdependence.
• It provides a guide for local governments to develop comprehensive and effective pet policies.
• This approach supports improved well-being for both human and non-human animal populations.