Natural disasters and human-caused emergencies displace and injure enormous numbers of wild and domestic animals, yet disaster response frameworks rarely include adequate animal welfare provisions.
Animals caught in disasters experience acute suffering from injury, dehydration, and starvation that can persist for weeks after the initial event. Disaster response that leaves animals unaddressed compounds the welfare crisis over time and can also create biosecurity risks. The research clearly shows that people with pets are less likely to evacuate without them — meaning that animal welfare provisions in disaster plans also improve human safety outcomes.