Armed conflicts cause enormous suffering to both domestic and wild animals — destroying habitats, killing wildlife, separating companion animals from owners, and leaving livestock to starve — and animal welfare in conflict zones is an underserved but growing area of humanitarian concern.
Animals caught in conflict zones experience acute terror, injury, starvation, and death in conditions where human capacity to respond is severely limited. The suffering is real, immediate, and enormous in scale. While human welfare must take priority in conflict response, the abandonment of animals in conflict zones — companion animals, livestock, and zoo animals — causes suffering that should be acknowledged and addressed where resources allow. The growing presence of animal welfare organisations in conflict zones reflects recognition that animal suffering is a legitimate humanitarian concern, not a distraction from human welfare priorities.