Natural disasters including wildfires, floods, and hurricanes cause massive animal welfare harm. Effective disaster response planning must include animals to reduce suffering during and after emergencies.
Natural disasters cause enormous animal suffering that is often overlooked in emergency response planning. While human safety must take priority, integrating animal welfare considerations into disaster preparedness and response reduces preventable suffering at scale. This includes companion animal evacuation planning, livestock emergency protocols, and wildlife rescue networks. Climate change is increasing disaster frequency, making animal welfare emergency response an increasingly urgent priority.