Integrating One Health and veterinary professionals into emergency management enhances wildlife welfare during disasters.

Climate change-driven disasters are increasing in frequency and severity, and wild animals are among the most vulnerable yet least considered victims. Despite growing public concern and increasing evidence of catastrophic wildlife loss, wildlife welfare remains underrepresented in emergency management. Veterinary professionals are well placed to address this gap through their expertise in animal welfare and population health and their understanding of the One Health approach. Veterinary professionals can provide significantly increased benefit to animal welfare if they are embedded within Incident Command System structures, not only as technical advisors but as credentialed and deployable members of the Incident Management Teams. Using a One Health lens, we outline how veterinary professionals can help successfully integrate wildlife welfare into all phases of the disaster management cycle: mitigation and planning, preparedness, response, and recovery. The companion Currents in One Health by Cerda et al, AJVR, July 2026, addresses the knowledge gaps and systemic barriers currently undermining integration of wildlife welfare across the disaster management cycle.