The Untold (animal) Stories of Covid-19

This special event will delve into the COVID-19 narrative to uncover the stories that haven’t been told by the mainstream media. The panel will review the last 18 months of world events, from standing on the brink of a global pandemic, to the international finger-pointing at who or what is to blame for the crisis. These are the stories we need to tell.

While initially other countries’ cultural and food practices, specifically around wet markets and wildlife trading, were primary targets, industrial animal agriculture was also implicated. Leading organisations questioned human incursions into wild habitats and our escalating exploitation of nature and animals. In the broader context of climate change and ecological collapse, Covid-19 was portrayed as marking a turning point in human history – a pivotal moment demanding we rethink our relations with animals.

But what happened next?

As the virus migrated from distant locations to our doorsteps, the story of Covid-19 shifted. Questions about our relations with animals faded from view and efforts to contain and manage the spread of the virus took precedence.

This panel will ask: how and why did this happen? Are these previous concerns now redundant? Should we have faith that our technical know-how will always overcome current and future challenges? Or should we bring the treatment of animals back centre stage in this story. Our three speakers will examine these relations and more, ones that many global experts say make future pandemics not just likely but probable.

There are the stories we tell, the stories we don’t tell, and the stories we need to tell.