Companion Animals

Companion Animal Emergency Preparedness

Pets are frequently lost or abandoned during emergencies. Pre-planning evacuation and care strategies prevents acute welfare harm to companion animals in disasters.

Key Facts

An estimated 600,000 pets were abandoned or left behind during Hurricane Katrina in 2005
The Pets Act 2006 in the US requires emergency plans to include provisions for household pets
Emergency supplies including food, water, and medication for 72 hours should be prepared in advance
Identification through microchipping and tags dramatically increases reunion rates post-disaster
Rehearsed evacuation plans including pet transport reduce panic and improve outcomes during emergencies

Welfare Considerations

Emergency preparedness for companion animals prevents the acute welfare harm of abandonment, injury, and death during disasters. The failure to plan for pet evacuation is a common and devastating welfare failure - animals left behind face dehydration, starvation, injury, and death. Simple preparedness measures dramatically reduce the probability of this outcome.

What You Can Do

Create a pet emergency kit with 72-hour food, water, medication, and supplies
Identify emergency accommodation options that accept pets before emergencies occur
Ensure pets are microchipped and wear ID tags at all times
Practice pet evacuation procedures so the process is familiar if a real emergency occurs