Why Crisis Management Must Include Companion Animals
For many, companion animals are family members, confidants, and emotional anchors. Research often highlights the positive effects of these bonds, from reducing anxiety to lowering blood pressure. Yet, our crisis management systems frequently overlook companion animals, prioritizing human needs with devastating consequences for both.
The disruption of the human-animal bond through forced separation during disasters is largely uncharted. This scoping review, the first of its kind, examines the emotional, psychological, and physical consequences for humans and animals across three crisis scenarios where separations commonly occur: natural disasters, domestic violence, and homelessness.
Adhering to internationally recognized guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, the researchers conducted a rigorous review of existing literature on the topic. They searched five major databases between March and April 2022 for relevant studies. Only peer-reviewed articles written in English that focused on adults with strong bonds to their companion animals and who experienced crises disrupting their living arrangements or well-being were included.
From an initial pool of 157 titles and abstracts, 42 studies published between 1994 and 2021 were selected. While the majority of the studies were based in the U.S., research from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and the U.K. was also included. The studies mentioned primarily dogs and cats, though some covered other common companion species, such as birds.
What Happens During Crises
Natural Disasters
Hurricanes, floods, and wildfires displace millions annually. For those with companion animals, evacuations often come with an agonizing choice: leave their animals behind or endanger their own lives to save them. The review indicates that most disaster plans fail to account for companion animals, with emergency shelters and transportation services treating them as secondary concerns or liabilities.
When policies neglect to include companion animals, the consequences are dire. Some individuals refuse to evacuate without their pets, risking their lives. Others who leave pets behind suffer immense guilt and trauma, sometimes developing long-term conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For the animals, separation often results in injury, starvation, or death, as they depend entirely on their caregivers to survive disasters.
Domestic Violence
For survivors of domestic violence, companion animals can be both a source of comfort and a barrier to escape. Abusers frequently exploit the bond between humans and animals to maintain control of their victims. Survivors often delay leaving abusive relationships out of fear for their animals’ safety. These fears are justified: 81% of survivors reported that their partner or ex-partner had threatened their animals, and 55% stated they had been harmed or killed. Children in these abusive environments are also deeply affected, with some replicating the animal abuse they witness, perpetuating cycles of violence.
Compounding the problem is a lack of companion animal-friendly resources for survivors. A few communities offer temporary foster programs for animals, but these solutions still separate survivors from their primary source of comfort, intensifying their stress and trauma.
Homelessness
Homelessness destabilizes every aspect of life, but companion animals provide emotional support, routine, and purpose. Research shows that people experiencing homelessness who retain their companion animals are often mentally and physically healthier than those who give them up.
However, most housing programs and shelters prohibit companion animals. Many therefore opt to remain on the streets, exposing themselves to violence, extreme weather, and health risks, all to stay with their animals. Excluding animals from housing assistance not only impacts living situations but makes people reluctant to seek medical care or counseling, fearing their pets will be taken from them.
Why Are Animals Left Out?
The researchers identified two major themes in their review: responsibility and human superiority. In many Western countries, companion animals are legally classified as property, while human life is inherently more valued. This designation shifts the burden of responsibility for companion animal welfare during emergencies entirely onto caregivers, who put the safety of their animals above their own well-being. When guardians feel that the government undervalues their companion animal as family, they distrust them.
The authors argue that these outdated perceptions must be replaced with a collective responsibility, where governments, communities, and service providers share the responsibility of ensuring animal welfare. By treating companion animals as part of the family unit, crises could be managed more effectively, reducing risks for both people and animals.
Recommendations
Evaluating some current interventions and policies, the review provides these actionable solutions that advocates may want to champion as a start to reforming how animals are treated during crises.
Pet-Friendly Disaster Planning
- Create inclusive shelters and transportation: Crisis plans should require animal-friendly accommodations and train staff to manage their inclusion.
- Increase public awareness: Communities must educate the public about available resources so fewer animals are left behind.
Support For Domestic Violence Survivors
- Expand inclusive programs: Programs like SAF-T (Sheltering Animals and Families Together), which keep survivors and their animals together, should be scaled up and new initiatives developed.
- Train service providers: Domestic violence professionals must learn to incorporate animals into safety planning.
Pet-Friendly Housing
- Fund dedicated spaces: Governments and organizations should provide shelters and housing programs that allow companion animals.
- Provide long-term solutions: Permanent, affordable housing options that include companion animals are needed to address chronic homelessness.
Evolve Legal Protections For Animals
- Impose stricter penalties: Animal abuse should be met with harsher consequences.
- Redefine legal status: Laws should treat companion animals as family members rather than property to reflect sentience.
The authors acknowledge several limitations in their review, including its narrow focus on peer-reviewed articles written in English. Most samples were from urban areas, leaving rural communities, which also depend on animals for their livelihoods, under-researched. There is very little research that directly addresses the impacts of forced separation and this review calls for more studies on the topic. Until then, we must act on what we already know and call for service providers and governments to rethink the value of companion animals and protect them alongside their guardians so that no one is left behind during a crisis.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2023.2287315