Natural disasters including floods, wildfires, and extreme weather events pose catastrophic welfare risks to farm animals. Emergency preparedness and response planning are critical for minimising suffering during agricultural disasters.
Livestock welfare in disasters is shaped by preparedness before the event and response quality during and after it. Animals in intensive housing are particularly vulnerable because their complete dependence on mechanical ventilation, automated feeding, and regular human attendance means that infrastructure failure rapidly becomes life-threatening. Emergency planning that includes backup power for ventilation systems, identification systems for evacuated animals, and pre-arranged emergency slaughter capacity for animals that cannot be saved prevents suffering from becoming catastrophic. The welfare of surviving animals after disasters — often injured, dehydrated, and traumatised — requires sustained veterinary support. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, making agricultural emergency planning an increasingly urgent welfare priority.