As demonstrated by the recent outbreaks of African swine fever in pigs and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in humans, pathogens originating from animals not only affect animal health and productivity and the safety of animal products, but also present great threats to human health. Since we live within the same ecosystems, human welfare is tightly interconnected with that of other animals. Therefore, from this perspective, research to fully characterize the epidemiology, transmission, and pathogenesis of animal and zoonotic diseases is extremely significant. Innovations in effective prevention and treatment strategies are equally important and urgent, as are novel public health practices and biosafety measures against such diseases.