The wildlife trade poses threats to animal health and welfare, causes impoverishment of biodiversity, and may result in serious public health problems. The trade has resulted in severe detrimental effects on biodiversity, species conservation and depletion of Member country national resources.

The OIE acknowledges that the wildlife trade is an important source of protein, income and livelihoods for many local or rural communities. However, this must be balanced with the aforementioned risks. Thus, there is a need to support legal, sustainable and responsible wildlife use by providing sound guidance, standards, and risk assessment and risk management tools.

The OIE is developing guidelines or standards for trade in wildlife based on sound governance and regulatory principles that reduce health risks, and support animal welfare and biodiversity conservation. These standards will result in sustainable and responsible practices in legal trade, transportation, capture, farming, marketing, and consumption of wildlife.

The OIE is also focused on the creation of a set of tools for Members to ensure best practices regarding risk assessments and disease management associated with the value chain for the wildlife trade.