#Sciencebasedpolicy

The burgeoning $6.3 trillion wellness industry, often celebrated for promoting natural remedies and health innovations, is now under scrutiny for potentially facilitating viral outbreaks that threaten both animal and human populations. Central to this concern is the raw pet food market, which significantly overlaps with anti-science sentiment, and the misinformation that is causing harm beyond consumer health. With the recent spread of the H5N1 bird flu, there are increasing fears that this could be the seed of the next global pandemic.

The global wellness market, valued at about $6.3 trillion, is under growing scrutiny for risks to both people and animals. A key concern is the raw pet food sector, which often intersects with misinformation and anti-science sentiment. With the spread of the H5N1 bird flu, experts warn this could seed the next global pandemic if unchecked.

Holistic pet-care trends have popularized raw diets as “ancestral” and supposedly closer to animal biology. However, veterinary and epidemiological research consistently challenges these claims. Raw pet foods can carry bacteria and viruses, including H5N1, posing real threats to pets and their households. Infected cats, seals, foxes, and other species have been documented, with feline mortality reaching significant levels in some outbreaks.