Cities are home to a growing diversity of wildlife alongside companion animals. Urban animal welfare requires understanding the specific challenges and opportunities of urban environments.
Urban environments present a distinctive welfare landscape for animals. The challenges are real: noise, light, heat, traffic, and concentrated human activity create chronic stressors for urban wildlife. But urban environments also provide opportunities: reduced persecution, abundant food (for generalist species), and human interest that generates conservation attention and resources. Urban animal welfare benefits from city-level planning that incorporates wildlife corridors, light management, noise mitigation, and habitat provision alongside companion animal policies that ensure accessible veterinary care and public space for animal exercise.