Post-disaster animal recovery requires coordinated systems that too often do not exist until after catastrophe strikes.
Disaster recovery for animals requires systems built before disasters strike, not improvised during them. Animals left behind in evacuation zones face days or weeks of suffering from lack of food, water, and veterinary care. Reunion systems for separated animals are often chaotic. Long-term housing for disaster-displaced animals is chronically inadequate. Organizations including the ASPCA, Humane Society, and countless local groups provide emergency response, but the systemic gaps between emergency preparedness and animal welfare remain large. Integrating animals into all phases of disaster planning is the welfare solution.