Considering the human-animal bond in developing One Health guidelines and standards for companion animals in humanitarian crises

Abstract

Establishing international One Health guidelines and standards for the evacuation and care of small companion animals in humanitarian crises is essential to protect the overall well-being of people and pets impacted, improve efficacy and safety of response operations, safeguard public health and biosecurity, and mitigate the impacts of free-roaming pets on the environment and biodiversity. Given predictably larger scale and more frequent crises due to climate change and human conflict or violence, it is increasingly important to consider and plan for the impacts that invariably result when both people and pets are displaced. One Health impact statement Currently, there is a prominent focus on One Health approaches to plan for and respond to emerging infectious disease threats as they impact human physical and public health. Much less attention has been paid to all-hazards disaster preparedness and planning (DPP) that comprehensively addresses the myriad additional ways humans, other animals, and the environment are impacted by co-displacement of pets and people. If applied, One Health approaches to DPP for humanitarian crises would address a broader range of risks and harms and build the cross-disciplinary collaborations and platforms necessary to truly plan and prepare for “all hazards.” This approach also provides an exceptional opportunity to elevate One Health understanding among both professionals and the public when disaster planning initiatives are developed with, and shared among, communities around the world.