Major disasters — floods, wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, and industrial accidents — kill and injure millions of animals annually. In the 2019-20 Australian bushfires, an estimated 3 billion animals were killed or displaced. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake left tens of thousands of livestock and companion animals stranded. Without planning, animal welfare emergencies compound human disasters.
Research by Heath et al. and others shows that pet owners frequently refuse to evacuate without their animals, endangering human life. Including animals in disaster planning — evacuation routes, emergency shelter access, companion animal transport — reduces human risk and prevents animal abandonment during evacuations.
The US Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act 2006 requires state and local emergency plans to accommodate pets and service animals. FEMA guidance now incorporates companion animal welfare. Similar legislation exists in Australia, New Zealand, and several European countries. Implementation remains uneven.
Farm animal disaster response requires specialized resources: large animal transport vehicles, temporary shelter (Livestock Emergency Response Teams), feed and water provision at scale, and veterinary triage. Pre-registered farm animal emergency databases allow rapid responder deployment. Slow rescue causes prolonged suffering from dehydration and injury.
Wildlife disaster response focuses on rescue, triage, and rehabilitation. World Animal Protection, IFAW, and national wildlife rescue organizations deploy specialist teams to major wildlife emergencies. Criteria for rescue vs. euthanasia in disaster contexts balance welfare of individuals against resource constraints.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has developed guidance on animal welfare in disasters. The Global Animal Disaster Risk Reduction (GADRR) framework promotes pre-disaster planning, early warning systems, and coordinated international response. Building animal welfare into national disaster risk reduction plans is an emerging policy priority.