Earthquakes cause acute and prolonged welfare harm to animals through injury, entrapment, habitat destruction, and post-disaster disruption of food and water supply for both wild and domestic animals.
Earthquake animal welfare involves immediate rescue needs and longer-term displacement challenges. Trapped animals in collapsed buildings face crush injuries, dehydration, and hypothermia before rescue is possible. Search and rescue dogs deployed in earthquake response are exposed to respiratory hazards from dust and emotional stress from repeated exposure to casualties. Farm animals in affected areas may be stranded for days without food or water. Post-earthquake contamination of water sources creates welfare challenges for wildlife. International disaster response increasingly includes animal welfare components, recognising that animal welfare and human welfare in disasters are interconnected through the human-animal bond and food security.