Transboundary animal diseases (TADs), including zoonoses, can be introduced in non‐endemic areas through animal trade and uncontrolled movements during times of conflict and migration. Sheep and goat pox (SGPX) and peste des petits ruminants (PPRs) were, respectively, reported in Europe in 2018 and 2010. EFSA emphasised the risk of spread into Europe through informal trade and unmonitored migration routes that may involve the informal transport of small ruminants. Using a One Health conceptual framework, which considers the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, this study analysed the epidemic trends of the two selected diseases during 2014–2025, with particular focus on the role of human migrations in influencing their spread along major migratory routes in the Balkan Peninsula. The conceptualisation of animals in migration settings was investigated through the scrutiny of policies and semi‐structured interviews to experts and people who travelled the route. The presence of small ruminants, companion and pest animals was confirmed in formal and informal camps. The results underscore the relevance of animals in the migration contexts of the Balkan routes, as well as the risks associated with their presence in settlements in the absence of an adequate management. Our findings seem to suggest that human migration along the Balkan routes is not directly responsible for the spread of TADs, as there is no evidence of significant animal movements accompanying migrants. However, our results show a possible role of informal trade networks following human migration paths along the Balkan route, while a possible role of informal trade networks, following human migration paths along the Balkan route, deserves to be further investigated.

Pastoralist communities in Karamoja maintain close, multifaceted relationships with animals from early childhood, yet little is known about how children conceptualise animal emotions and cognitive abilities. This pilot study explored these conceptions among Kasimeri Primary School students in Karamoja, Uganda, within the AICS All-In-One Project (AID 012590/04/1). A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire administered to 326 students (mean age 13 ± 2 years). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and generalised linear models (GLMs). Most children attributed a wide range of emotions to animals, with anger (79.6%) and happiness (78.2%) being the most widely recognised and disgust the least attributed (63.2%). Emotion ascription differed significantly by emotion type (p < 0.001) and species (p = 0.004), with significant interactions (p = 0.022). Species differences emerged for several emotions (all p ≤ 0.006), with ruminants and chickens receiving higher attribution than dogs, reflecting different species’ roles in pastoral life. Students from pastoralist households showed lower emotion scores than those with non-farmer fathers (p = 0.025). Cognitive ability attribution also differed significantly across species (all p < 0.001). These findings challenge Western-pet-centred frameworks, highlighting the need for culturally grounded, One Health-oriented educational approaches integrating local animal knowledge with formal welfare and health curricula.