Make Disaster Plans For Companion Animals, Too!

According to a 2005 Zogby International poll conducted after Hurricane Katrina to assess public opinion about companion animal rescues during disasters, 57% of adults said that official rescue efforts for disasters should include plans for rescuing companion animals as well.

According to this 2005 poll, conducted following Hurricane Katrina, 57% of adults feel that official rescue efforts for disasters should include companion animals, while 28% disagree. Furthermore, an estimated 54% disagree with American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) policies that exclude companion animals.

However, only 4% feel that FEMA and other government agencies should be charged with rescuing displaced companion animals after the Gulf storm, while 42% feel that animal welfare and animal rights groups should take charge of the rescue effort. Some 40% feel that it should be a combination of animal welfare groups, individual companion animal owners, government, and private relief agencies that should take such responsibility.

Nearly half (49%) of those polled would refuse to evacuate prior to a disaster if they could not take their companion animals with them. A majority (61%) of companion animal owners stated they would refuse an order to evacuate, while 24% of non-companion animal owners said they would refuse to leave.

Along political lines, 55% of Democrats would refuse to evacuate, while 39% of Republicans and 53% of Independents would refuse an evacuation order as well.