Natural disasters and human conflicts leave animals as forgotten victims. Building welfare considerations into disaster preparedness and response saves lives and reduces suffering.
Animal welfare in disasters is simultaneously a direct welfare concern and a human welfare concern - people who will not evacuate without their pets are harder to rescue, and animals left behind face prolonged suffering. The welfare of farm animals in disasters is particularly underrecognised - millions of chickens and pigs may be left without water or food for days. Emergency planning that includes provision for companion animal evacuation, farm animal emergency care, and wildlife rescue resources is both more humane and more practical than plans that ignore animals. Building animal welfare into disaster preparedness saves both animal and human lives.