Third Of Companion Animal Guardians Have No Emergency Plan

This survey of U.S. adults investigates how well-prepared people with companion animals are for natural and man-made disasters. The survey finds that most are under-prepared; more than a third of cat and dog owners (35%) currently do not have a disaster preparedness plan in place.

Companion animal owners in the Southern U.S. states are more prepared than those in the North. 45% of dog owners and 42% of cat owners in the North responded they did not know what they would do with their companion animals if evacuated, while less than a third of dog (28%) and cat (30%) owners in the South did not know what they would do.

Among those that have a disaster preparedness plan in place, a majority —- 85% of dog owners and 81% of cat owners —- intend to bring their companion animals with them. However, though micro-chipping is proven as an effective way to find a companion animal if lost, only 28% of dog owners and 24% of cat owners have their companion animals micro-chipped.