Human-Animal Interactions in Disaster Settings: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to assess the current knowledge of human-animal interactions (HAIs) in disaster settings and identify areas for future research. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses search was conducted on three multidisciplinary databases, identifying English-language journal articles published between January 2000 and February 2022 that explored the benefits of and challenges associated with HAI in disasters and emergencies. The review analyzed 94 articles using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The review found a paucity of universal terminology to describe the bidirectional relationship between humans and animals during disasters and a failure to include all animal types in every stage of disaster and emergency management. Additionally, research predominantly focused on the health and well-being benefits of HAI for humans rather than animals. Efforts to promote social and environmental justice for humans and their co-inhabitants should support the welfare of both humans and animals in disaster settings. Four recommendations were developed based on these findings to increase the inclusion of HAI in research, policy, and practice. Limitations of the review included the exclusion of pre-2000 articles and all grey literature, limited research examining different combinations of animal and disaster types, and limited research outside of North America.