Disasters displace millions of pets annually. Preparing evacuation plans that include companion animals protects both their welfare and that of their owners, who often refuse to leave without them.
Disaster preparedness for companion animals is both a direct animal welfare issue and a human safety one. When evacuation plans exclude animals, owners often stay behind, endangering themselves. Including pets in emergency planning reduces suffering for animals and improves human compliance with evacuation orders. Community-level preparedness that includes animal sheltering infrastructure is the most effective systemic approach.