Mumbai: India’s first emergency animal evacuation shelter to help animals prior to natural disasters is set to be established in Kottathara panchayat in Kerala’s Wayanad.

The project, designed in collaboration with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, the Wayanad District Disaster Management Authority, Kottathara Grama Panchayat and Humane World for Animals India, is expected to begin operations in 2026 and will accommodate upto 150 animals.

Just like humans are shifted to special shelter homes during natural disasters like cyclone, flood and landslides, Kerala will see a pioneering emergency evacuation shelter designed to evacuate animals prior to natural disasters. This shelter will be situated in a region prone to multiple hazards including annual floods, cyclones and landslides. It will be the first such shelter to help animals like goats, cows, pigs, dogs and cats.

Humane World for Animals India, formerly known as Humane Society International India, had submitted a proposal for the shelter home to Wayanad district collector. The proposal has been sanctioned by the additional secretary of Kerala government.

While the project cost of Rs 69.5 lakh will be fully beared by the animal welfare NGO, the annual operation cost will be beared by the local body. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has also offered Rs 10 lakh for the project from its CSR funds.

The single-storeyed structure is expected to include dedicated space for a veterinary clinic and a quarantine area, along with storage and equipment rooms. The shelter is intended to serve as a model for similar facilities across the country.

Praveen Suresh, disaster preparedness and response team manager at Humane World for Animals India, said, "This is a historic moment for Kerala and India from both an animal welfare and disaster preparedness point of view. It is especially significant for Wayanad district with its growing need for a dedicated facility to evacuate and care for animals during disasters like floods and landslides. While the shelter will provide immediate medical care and relief, it will also serve as a long-term resource to support animal welfare in the community. This animal shelter highlights the power of collaboration between multiple agencies to safeguard animals and their communities and to strengthen disaster management efforts in India."

Once constructed, the shelter will serve as a hub for efforts to safeguard animals and the families who depend on them during disasters and a catalyst for continued commitment to build community resilience in the face of future emergencies that put humans and animals at risk.