Animal Welfare During Natural Disasters

Natural disasters including wildfires, floods and hurricanes cause immense animal suffering, and welfare preparedness can save lives.

Key Facts

Wildfires kill hundreds of millions of animals and cause severe injuries to surviving wildlife and livestock annually
An estimated 1 billion animals died in Australia's 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires
During Hurricane Katrina, an estimated 250,000 pets were left behind when owners evacuated without them
PETS Act (2006) requires US emergency plans to include provisions for pets and service animals after Katrina
Agricultural animals face particularly high disaster mortality as they cannot self-rescue from flooded or burning facilities
Volunteer animal rescue networks including Best Friends Animal Society deploy during major disasters

Welfare Considerations

Natural disasters create acute, large-scale animal welfare crises that are partly preventable through better preparation. The scale of wildlife mortality in Australia's 2019-2020 fires - a billion animals - represents one of the largest acute welfare disasters in recorded history. Farm animals in flooded facilities or burning barns die from drowning, smoke inhalation, burns and starvation if not evacuated. Pet owners who cannot evacuate with animals often face impossible choices. Emergency planning that integrates animal welfare - including evacuation routes for livestock, wildlife rescue coordination and pet-inclusive evacuation protocols - reduces suffering when disasters occur. Climate change is increasing disaster frequency and severity, making animal disaster welfare preparedness increasingly urgent.

What You Can Do

Include pets in your household disaster emergency plan with evacuation carriers, food and veterinary records
Support organizations providing animal rescue and disaster response services in affected areas
Advocate for agricultural emergency planning that includes livestock evacuation and mortality management provisions
Engage with local emergency management agencies to ensure animal welfare is integrated into disaster plans