The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is an intergovernmental organization coordinating, supporting and promoting animal disease control.

The main objective of the OIE is to control epizootic diseases and thus to prevent their spread. It is recognized as a reference organisation by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in 2014 had a total of 181 member states. The OIE maintains permanent relations with 45 other international and regional organisations and has Regional and sub-regional Offices on every continent. The OIE does not depend on the UN system; its autonomy is both institutional and financial and its activities are governed by its own constitutional texts. Since its first General Session, held in Paris, The Office carries on its work under the authority of a Committee consisting of delegates of the contracting Governments.

The need to fight animal diseases at global level led to the creation of the Office International des Epizooties through the international Agreement signed on January 25, 1924. In May 2003 the Office became the World Organisation for Animal Health but kept its historical acronym OIE. In January 2017, the outgoing Obama administration designated the OIE as an organization entitled to benefits of the International Organizations Immunities Act.

The OIE's headquarters are located in Paris, in the 17th arrondisment. It was in 1939 that the OIE moved to the aristocratic district of Parc Monceau, after having occupied premises since 1927 near the Champs de Mars and the Eiffel Tower, that had been provided by the French Higher Public Health Council. In May 1938, the OIE Members gave Dr Emmanuel Leclainche, founder and first General Director of the OIE, full powers to buy a townhouse in Paris, using the reserve fund. Dr Lecleinche chose the mansion from four properties selected by a Commission comprising the President of the OIE, H.C.L.E. Berger (Netherlands), the Vice-President, Carlo Bisanti (Italy), and the accountant, Gotlieb Flückiger (Switzerland). On 22 February 1939, the OIE, represented by E. Leclainche bought the mansion from the Marquise de Montebello (for 700,000 francs). The 13th General Session of the OIE was held from May 30 to June 5, 1939 at 12 rue de Prony after rebuilding work had been completed. Due to the Second World War, the following General Session did not take place until 1946, from 2 to 5 October. Following their entry into Paris in June 1940, the German occupying forces temporarily closed and sealed the OIE headquarters. The efforts of the President, Gotlieb Flückiger, elected in 1939, resulted in its re-opening. 12 rue de Prony was built in 1879, in the Neo-Renaissance style, by the celebrated architect Jean-Louis Pascal for the Austrian Baron, Jonas Königswater, a former banker and railway owner. A succesion of major works to renovate and modernise the headquarters were undertaken by the Directors General elected after E.Leclainche: Gaston Ramon, René Vittoz, Louis Blajan, Jean Blancou and Bernard Vallat. Due to the headlong development of the organisation (tripling of the staff and the budget since 2001), additional premises have been rented at 14 rue de Prony since 2004. On 16 March 2009, the OIE purchased a large part of the building at 14 rue de Prony, adjoining its headquarters.

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