#DontForgetThem
The issue
Animals experience the same terrible effects of disasters that people do: injury, starvation, thirst, displacement, illness and stress.
The loss of animal lives in disasters also has a devastating impact on the people that rely on them for companionship and economic status. More than 1 billion of the world’s poorest people depend on animals for food, transport and their livelihoods.
Protecting animals helps people rebuild their lives following a disaster. And yet, animals are rarely included in national disaster plans and investments, or their needs factored into relief operations.
Governments must take urgent steps to protect both people and animals by including animals in their disaster plans.
If you are interested in learning how to incorporate animals in Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies please take a look at our How to Guide for Governments.
Our #DontForgetThem Campaign
World Animal Protection is bringing inflatable “animal ambassadors” from across the globe to represent animal voices at this year’s UN Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction.
These ambassadors, from six different countries (India, Brazil, Thailand, USA, Kenya and Costa Rica), represent the millions of animals in need of protection against disasters. Their message is clear: don’t forget animals in global discussions on disaster risk reduction, disaster plans and investments. They will return to their home countries after the Global Platform to continue spreading their important message and urging governments to include animals in their disaster plans.
To learn more about what can be done to protect animals in disasters, please follow our work and join the conversation online using the hashtag #DontForgetThem.