Natural disasters and climate emergencies affect billions of animals, and emergency preparedness increasingly includes companion, farm, and wildlife animal welfare protocols.
Disaster welfare failures have both immediate and long-term dimensions: animals left behind face starvation, drowning, and exposure; those evacuated with limited resources face overcrowding and disease; wildlife displaced by floods or fires face habitat loss and disorientation. Disaster preparedness that includes animal welfare planning — identification, evacuation routes, temporary shelter — prevents the crisis welfare failures seen in Katrina and subsequent disasters. The human-animal bond also means better animal welfare during disasters improves human mental health outcomes.