Armed conflict creates catastrophic conditions for animals both domesticated and wild, with few mechanisms for welfare response.
Armed conflict creates animal welfare emergencies that are almost entirely overlooked in humanitarian response frameworks. Abandoned companion animals face starvation, exposure and predation. Farm animals left unattended die slowly from thirst and starvation. Wildlife displaced by conflict can face population-level threats. The suffering is widespread, acute and almost entirely preventable through advance planning and designated animal welfare response protocols.