It was one of the worst days of my life: Companion animal owners’ experiences of the Edgecumbe 2017 flood in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

In April 2017, the largest companion animal rescue in New Zealand history at that time was mounted to save hundreds of animals who were left behind inside the flooded township of Edgecumbe. This significant event prompted a study examining evacuation behaviour and the influence of pets on evacuation processes. An online survey was conducted, involving 212 households (35.5%) to gather data on their experiences and actions during the emergency. The results revealed that households with family emergency plans that incorporated pets' needs had a significantly higher percentage of evacuating at least some of their pets (94.1%) compared to those without such plans (50%) (p-value = 0.015). Interestingly, illegal re-entry rates were not different between participants who evacuated with all pets and those who left some or all pets behind (p-value = 0.161). However, the primary reason for attempted unlawful re-entry was to care for or rescue their animals. These findings confirm that evacuee behaviours in New Zealand are consistent with similar studies conducted in other countries. This consistency suggests that non-compliant emergency and evacuation behaviour should be addressed by implementing animal-inclusive law and policy. By incorporating the needs of animals in emergency management, both humans and animals can benefit from improved safety and well-being during disasters. This study highlights the importance of considering pets in emergency planning and the need for policy changes to better protect both people and their companion animals during emergencies.