Armed conflicts cause immense but largely invisible suffering to domestic and wild animals, who cannot flee and lose care when humans are displaced or killed.
Animals in conflict zones are among the most vulnerable and least visible victims of warfare. They cannot flee, cannot advocate for themselves, and lose their caregivers when humans are displaced or killed. The scale of suffering — from companion animals left behind in evacuations, to livestock abandoned without food and water, to zoo animals unable to be moved — is enormous and receives far less attention than human casualties. Humanitarian planning should include animal welfare provisions, and emergency response organisations should build animal rescue into conflict response frameworks.