Natural disasters, conflicts, and industrial accidents create acute welfare crises for animals — both companion animals left behind during evacuations and farmed and wild animals affected by the disaster itself.
Animal welfare in disasters is a human safety issue as well — people who refuse to evacuate without pets increase human mortality risk. Integrated planning that treats companion animal evacuation as part of human safety planning reduces both human and animal casualties. Farmed animal emergency planning requires pre-positioned resources and clear legal responsibility. Post-disaster veterinary care restores livelihoods in agricultural communities while directly reducing animal suffering.