Animal agriculture accounts for a significant share of freshwater use globally, with drought conditions creating welfare emergencies for farmed animals lacking adequate water access.
Water access is a fundamental physiological need for all animals — dehydration causes distress, impairs thermoregulation, and quickly becomes life-threatening. For farmed animals, water access depends entirely on farm infrastructure and management decisions that may be compromised during drought events. Livestock in drought conditions may face inadequate water supply, poor water quality, and compounding heat stress that creates severe welfare emergencies. The connection between animal agriculture's water footprint and the drought vulnerability of farming regions creates a systemic welfare risk that grows as climate change increases drought frequency and severity.