Disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, and floods cause enormous animal welfare suffering that better emergency planning can significantly reduce.
Emergency disasters cause immense animal welfare suffering through injury, abandonment, starvation, and death. Hurricane Katrina was a watershed moment for disaster animal welfare when hundreds of thousands of pets were stranded or abandoned because owners could not or would not evacuate without them. The PETS Act that followed requires emergency plans to include pets, improving outcomes in subsequent disasters. Farm animals, representing far more individuals, remain poorly protected in emergency planning. Wildlife affected by disasters through habitat destruction and displacement receives minimal welfare consideration. Better pre-planning, registration programs, and dedicated animal emergency response resources can dramatically reduce disaster-related animal suffering.