Armed conflict devastates animal welfare through direct violence, infrastructure collapse, and the disruption of veterinary and food systems.
Animals in conflict zones experience compound welfare harms: direct violence, abandonment, starvation from supply chain collapse, and the loss of veterinary care. Companion animals abandoned during evacuations may survive for months in dangerous conditions. Zoo animals trapped in bombed facilities face starvation and stress. Farm animals without feed and water die slowly over days. Building welfare response capacity into humanitarian assistance frameworks and international law represents a significant gap that organizations like Four Paws are beginning to fill.