Supporting Human-Animal Bonds and Enhancing Human-Animal Resilience In Disaster Settings

The increase in the frequency, scope, and magnitude of disasters affects human beings and their co-inhabitants (animals) on our shared planet. Human-animal bonds (HABs, also known as human-animal interactions, relationships, connections, and so on) can provide various social health, and cultural benefits, supporting human-centric efforts within an entire disaster cycle through the human-animal-environment nexus. Despite HABs’ contributions, a holistic understanding of HAI-specific research, practice, and policy/decision-making in disaster settings is lacking. The goal of this session is to build an international platform to promote a comprehensive understanding of disaster-specific HABs in shedding light on the multi-sectoral impacts of disasters, promoting human-animal welfare, and enhancing resilience capacity for disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Drawing on international perspectives, the potential presentations will provide the foundation for detailing the specific HAB-specific research, practice, and decision-making contributions that promote human-animal welfare and resilience at the micro (individual), meso (community and the organisational levels), and macro (program and policy) levels. HABs underpinning value bases of animal justice, rights, and welfare will also be explored in the context of the complex and dynamic nature of sociocultural, political, ecological, and economic dimensions pertaining to climate change, disasters, and other crises.

This session serves as a research-practice venue for multi-stakeholders spanning public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. The potential presenters include academics (e.g., researchers, educators, and students), practitioners (e.g., disaster and emergency responders, community-based service providers, animal industry employees, veterinary services, and animal welfare and animal protection agencies), and policymakers (e.g., governmental officials and industrial leaders).