Urban Livestock: A Growing but Ignored Public-Health Challenge

Urbanisation is often portrayed as a clean separation between cities and agriculture. In reality, livestock remain deeply embedded in urban life, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Dairy cattle, goats, pigs and backyard poultry are commonly kept within city limits or in peri-urban zones, supplying fresh animal-source foods and supporting livelihoods. While urban livestock contributes to food security and income generation, its implications for public health receive far less attention than they deserve. Globally, the public-health relevance of animals is well established. The World Health Organisation estimates that over 60% of human infectious diseases and nearly 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they originate in animals (WHO, 2020). When livestock and humans live in proximity, as is typical in urban settings, the risk of disease transmission increases, particularly where hygiene, surveillance and veterinary oversight are inadequate.