Whenever I hear a really simple solution for all our problems, it raises more questions than answers in my mind.
It reminds me of the conservation ideal, that we should "hands off" nature and somehow it will all return to "normal" - this is nonsense at this point in the game. I doubt there is an ecosystem on earth that would somehow rally back to 'perfection' without any intervention or care on our part. It is too messed up already. And walling up humans away from nature is a terrible idea - we need to be more a part of it, not less, to my mind.
Human relationship with other animals is very complex. Interactions are certain to occur whether it's about eating them or not.
So what happens if you eliminate farm animals? People have pets. People have zoos. People have gardens that birds and animals visit and use as part of their habitat. You don't even have to be near an "edge" to interact with wild birds and animals. It may be rodents and pigeons if you're urban, doesn't matter. There's no reason these animals can't be vectors for new diseases to jump to humans.
I agree it is a bad idea to capture and farm wild animals for exotic food market. Eliminate that and we could reduce the risk of the next pandemic, or extend the timeline some. I also agree that every animal in our care, including farm animals, should be kept in healthy conditions. Even the wild animals that cross our path should be kept healthy to the extent that we can, by providing what they need for health in the habitat.
But going completely vegan in the world, and completely eliminating farm animals will not ever eliminate the risk of a viral crossover from animals in the wild. I find it disturbing that a whole class of mutualistic animal relationships should be considered for elimination, and cite protection of our health as justification. Animals and relationships/interactions with animals are a "risk" to us - to our fictional empire of healthy vegan humans. This attitude seems fundamentally wrong to me.
Nature has begotten viruses among everything else. Viruses and bacteria, probably the most vital building blocks of nature itself when it becomes necessary to adapt to extreme changes. The risk to me as an individual is part of the bargain of being alive.
If I had to name the top vector for EVERY pandemic it won't be bats, civets, racoon dogs or cows, chickens, and pigs. The top vector is called "air travel", with or without your support animals and pets. You can eat chick peas all day long, and you won't change that!
/rant
