ABSTRACT
Wild animals show various strategies to avoid hazards by fleeing, hiding, gathering in numbers, freezing or even attacking if cornered. This chapter considers that even if animals have this ability to foretell certain disasters, science is yet to prove it and animals are yet to be able to share this skill in any manner that would affect human life. Animal preparedness and vulnerability are difficult to assess independently from the actions of their human owners and caretakers, due to the strong dependence domestic animals have on them. The primary elements needed to achieve or improve preparedness for animals are the following: Most disaster animal impact databases are set to gather the numbers of animal victims at best, seldom in the field or for surviving animals in need, and usually only for livestock. As a concept, animal preparedness should be the cornerstone of effective disaster management for animals.
