Animals & Us: A new series produced by BBC Storyworks in collaboration with WOAH

A new series presented by WOAH, produced by BBC StoryWorks, explores the invisible connections between animals, people and the environments we share, and how these relationships are shaping our world.

Animals and humans share a deep and profound connection. How does this interdependence shape global health? The impact of animals and their ecosystems on communities worldwide is vast, reaching across food supplies and medicine. At the same time, the challenges tied to this connection are also changing, influenced by climate change and expanding human populations.

Animals & Us, a new series presented by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and produced by BBC StoryWorks, explores what this connection between humans and animals means. This series reveals how animal health can affect everyone’s health, and how some communities around the world are fostering healthier ecosystems designed to protect both humans and animals. With agricultural systems now occupying 50% of the planet’s habitable land and global wildlife populations having declined by an average of 69% since 1970, this relationship between animals and humans is changing every day.

The stories in the series will introduce you to the remarkable innovators working to strengthen and protect this valuable connection around the world: the village in Bali helping to protect their pets and children with animal vaccines; the poultry farmer using a surprising substance to help reduce reliance on antibiotics in his animals; the rancher in Washington who’s measuring cattle breath with new technology to monitor their health; and the organisation who’s spreading awareness among agricultural workers in India about venomous snake bites.

These are the communities working around the world to help protect the bond between animals and us, aiming to find new solutions to rising challenges and helping raise awareness.

The stories come at a time when WOAH’s 2026 State of the World’s Animal Health report is drawing attention to the critical role animal health plays in protecting communities worldwide. With around 60% of known human infectious diseases originating in animals, and animal health receiving as little as 0.6% of global health spending, Animals & Us explores what prevention, innovation and resilience can look like on the ground.

Discover the stories uncovering the invisible connections between animal, human and environmental health directly impacting daily lives. Watch Animals & Us on www.animalsandusseries.com 

Because animal health is our health. It’s everyone’s health. 

Participation in the Animals & Us series does not constitute endorsement, approval or recommendation of any organization, company, product, technology, service or position featured.