Animal Welfare and Climate Adaptation

As climate change accelerates, adapting animal husbandry, conservation, and veterinary practices to maintain welfare under changing conditions is increasingly urgent.

Key Facts

Average global temperatures have risen approximately 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels
Heat stress in dairy cows causes annual losses of over $1 billion in the US alone
Range shifts of wildlife species are disrupting predator-prey relationships globally
Emerging infectious diseases are expanding their geographic ranges with climate change
Welfare emergency planning for extreme weather is inadequate on most farms

Welfare Considerations

Climate adaptation for animal welfare requires action at multiple levels simultaneously. Farm-level adaptation includes heat abatement infrastructure, adjusted stocking densities, and emergency protocols. Species-level conservation adaptation includes assisted migration, climate refugia identification, and genetic rescue programs for shrinking populations. Veterinary practice adaptation includes preparing for emerging diseases and novel parasites expanding geographic ranges. Without proactive welfare adaptation planning, climate change will create cascading welfare emergencies across domesticated and wild animal populations. The welfare case for ambitious climate mitigation is directly connected to preventing the largest future welfare harms.

What You Can Do

Support farmers investing in climate adaptation infrastructure for animal welfare
Advocate for climate adaptation planning requirements in farm animal welfare standards
Support conservation programs designing climate refugia for vulnerable wildlife species
Engage with veterinary associations on climate adaptation and emerging disease preparedness
Take personal climate action as the most fundamental animal welfare climate intervention