In recent years, the importance of working holistically on the global One Health and One Welfare agendas has become evident. The success of these policies in addressing shared challenges depends on a science-based global strategy for animal welfare that allows local efforts to resolve conflicts related to how human beings take advantage of natural resources, including domestic and wild animals. These policies need to be developed jointly by the World Organisation for Animal Health, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. They should be based on scientific evidence, gathered from existing information and through transdisciplinary research, to quantify synergies and trade-offs between environmental, social, economic and animal welfare criteria. This approach will make it possible to articulate and implement local policies and solutions associating animal welfare with efficient and sustainable livestock production, biodiversity conservation and disease prevention, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, economic and rural development, biomedical research based on ethical principles, and responsible animal ownership.