Risk factors for pet evacuation failure after a slow-onset disaster

Abstract

Predictors of pet evacuation failure are usually present before a disaster strikes and are potentially modifiable. Mitigation of pet evacuation failure should focus on activities that reinforce responsible pet ownership and strengthen the human-animal bond, including socializing dogs, attending dog behavior training classes, transporting cats in nondisaster times, and seeking regular preventive veterinary care. Most pet owners are self-reliant in disasters, and this behavior should be encouraged.

Prevalence of infectious diseases in cats and dogs rescued following Hurricane Katrina

“…11,[30][31][32][33][34] Owners who are unprepared to evacuate with their pets may refuse to leave their homes, putting their pets, themselves, and rescuers in peril. 11,[30][31][32][33][34] Owners who are unprepared to evacuate with their pets may refuse to leave their homes, putting their pets, themselves, and rescuers in peril.…”

“…Data and sample collection-Animal welfare groups that received dogs and cats transferred from the hurricane disaster area between August 29 and December 31,2005, were asked to submit EDTA-anticoagulated blood and serum samples from those animals for analysis. These samples were used to screen for a panel of infectious diseases of animal or zoonotic importance and for which vaccination and parasite preventives administered in rescue shelters would not interfere with diagnostic test results.…”

Seroprevalence of feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus infection among cats in North America and risk factors for seropositivity

“…In previous studies that evaluated the risks that pet owners would leave their pets behind when evacuating during a rapid-onset (ie, a chemical spill) 7 or slowonset (ie, a flood warning) 8,9 disaster, ownership of multiple pets, a lack of preparation, low attachment to one' s pets, and a lack of previous veterinary care were found to be associated with an increased risk of pet evacuation failure. If failure to evacuate pets during the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricane disaster was similarly associated with a lower rate of previous veterinary care, then it is possible that rescued animals were at increased risk for diseases routinely controlled by chemoprophylaxis (ie, dirofilariasis), neutering and vaccination (ie, FeLV and FIV infection), and testing (ie, dirofilariasis, FeLV, and FIV infection).…”

A Survey of Companion-Animal Owners Affected by the East Japan Great Earthquake in Iwate and Fukushima Prefectures, Japan

“…Low attachment and commitment (Heath et al 2001a) has been associated with failure to evacuate with pets. High commitment to pets has been associated with human evacuation failure (Brackenridge et al 2012), while others report that both commitment and attachment are not associated with human household evacuation (Heath et al 2001b).…”