By Praveen S Tanupriya Singh
Animal rearing is a vital economic activity in India. According to the Economic Survey of India 2023–24, it contributes 30.38 percent to the total agriculture gross value added (GVA) and provides employment to more than 30 million people. In addition, India’s total livestock population is approximately 535.78 million, and more than 70 percent of rural households in the country maintain domestic farm animals. The Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) 2021 reports that animal husbandry, dairying, and fishing serve as stable income sources, adding 15 percent to the average monthly earnings of agricultural households.  However, many animals are lost due to disasters every year. Some 45.25 percent of livestock (including buffaloes, cattle, goats, and pigs) are vulnerable to floods, while 44 percent are affected by droughts and cyclones. Unfortunately, there is no available data on the number of companion animals, such as stray dogs and cats, that perish in disasters.  For pastoralists, the thought of leaving their a