World Organisation for Animal Health Members' Capacity to Deal With Animal Welfare Emergencies During Natural Disasters in Europe.

Abstract

Little is known about individual European countries or regional capacity to respond to animal welfare emergencies during natural disasters; therefore, it is important to establish baseline information (eg, types of disasters, training) to enable more focused and data-driven actionable support for future disasters. A 55-question survey was distributed by an email link to the 53 World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) European Region Members plus 1 observer country. Forty-nine countries (91%, n = 54) responded to the survey. Fifty-one percent (25/49) indicated they incorporated animal welfare into their national disaster regulatory framework, whereas 59% (29/49) indicated animal welfare was incorporated in the Veterinary Service National Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Plan. Thirty-nine percent (19/49) indicated they had "no" or "limited" legal authority to manage animal emergencies in natural disasters. Floods, forest fires, and snowstorm/extreme cold were the 3 most commonly reported disasters over the last 10 years with 79% (27/34) reporting Veterinary Services was involved in managing these disasters. The survey results indicated a wide range in the capacity of WOAH European Member Countries to respond to animal welfare in natural disasters, highlighting the gaps and potential areas of improvement in this arena.