With the outbreak of the coronavirus, which is highly suspected to have originated from a wet market, isn’t it time to think about ways to prevent future pandemics?

Isn’t it enough that they’ve suspected and almost proved the wet market to be the source of the virus? Are we going to wait until they completely prove, when it’ll probably be too late to do anything?

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged the WHO and the UN to act against China’s wet markets, like the one where the deadly coronavirus is thought to have originated, as they pose “great risks” to the health and wellbeing of the rest of the world.

Not just China’s, but wet markets and slaughter houses all around the world need to be shut down, to prevent future pandemics.

“Absolutely. I don’t understand how people feel it’s okay to eat the animals they eat, but they are not okay with other humans eating the animals they don’t eat.

Honestly, there is no difference between eating a chicken, cow, goat, pigs, camels and eating dogs, bats, civets, snakes, raccoon dogs or porcupines. They are all animals slaughtered for food in different cultures.” — Sharmila Shanmugasundaram

After COVID-19, are we going to wait until the next pandemic or are we going to wake up and make sure that we put an end to pandemics and epidemics?

India’s poultry industry currently sells 95% of its product through wet markets, fresh food markets where animals are sold live and then processed either onsite or in the consumer’s home. These wet markets pose numerous sanitary risks.

Here’s a quick rewind to ancient India.

“European travelers began discovering Indian civilization and were fascinated by the doctrine of ahimsa, nonviolence. These travelers were astonished to note the existence of hospitals for animals and shelters for elderly beasts”- A Plea for Animals by Matthieu Ricard.

And today, all we see are wet markets, slaughterhouses and hospitals that treat animals raised for merciless slaughter.

A Plea for Animals also says, “European travelers were amazed to see wild animals such as deer, antelope, cranes, and storks wandering peacefully around the villages. These Westerners, having come from societies where all animal life, apart from domestic animals, was avidly hunted down or pitilessly exterminated, could not comprehend this kind of benevolent attitude dictated by the religious and cultural factors prevailing in southern Asia.”

Can we bring back the Indian culture of respecting fellow earthlings and being kind to all life? Can we rethink our values and morals? Mahatma Gandhiji, the father of our nation who was an advocate of ahimsa and non-violence, wouldn’t be very happy if he were to be here today, would he?

Eating animals and dairy is something that we’ve been doing for a long time. But now is the time to question if we should continue doing this.

I request the government to take up this issue as soon as possible and close all the wet markets and slaughterhouses for the welfare of humans and non-human animals.

Let us close down the source of viruses, cruelty and death.

Let us bring back India’s culture.

Let us lead as an example for other countries to be compassionate, loving and ultimately healthy.

How long are we going to keep exploiting animals for our greed? How long are we going to take to put an end to pandemics? How many more have to suffer?