IAEM Oceania

IAEM Oceania member, Steve Glassey, has provided the following report entitled "Recommendations to enhance companion animal emergency management in New Zealand". This report was developed to partially fulfil the requirements of the Charles Sturt University Master of Emergency Management.

For more information about the report, please contact Steve:
M +64 21 0278 8930
E steve.glassey at mercalli.co.nz

The full report can be downloaded below.

Introduction

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States of America. In its wake, it left US$110 billion in damage and 1,836 people dead making it the third deadliest disaster in US history (Kurpis, 2009). This disaster also highlighted the importance of companion animal emergency management with over 50,000 pets being left behind during the evacuation of New Orleans and 80-90% of these pets perishing. What was anticipated to be over within a few days turned into a disaster beyond comprehension and triggered the largest animal rescue operation in US history – an operation that rescued approximately 15,000 pets supported by some 5,000 volunteers (Shiley, 2006). Following Katrina, in reaction to public outcry over the thousands of pets that died the Senate passed, by a landslide 349 to 24 vote, the Pet Evacuation & Transportation Standards (PETS) Act 2006, which included the requirement for local and state emergency management agencies to have companion animal emergency management measures in place.

In contrast, New Zealand has very few mechanisms to protect companion animals during a disaster. In jest, some emergency managers believe shooting pets is the solution. But with no funding or evidence based advice available to emergency managers and animal care professionals the opportunity to protect companion animals and by doing so, protecting the human population is lost or simply put in the too hard basket.

This report has been developed to act as a catalyst to encourage dialogue between emergency management actors and support the development of tools and guidelines that will enhance New Zealand’s approach to companion animal emergency management. It has been compiled with the assistance of international and domestic subject matter experts and over 150 references have been reviewed as part of its compilation. Aimed at both emergency managers and animal care professionals, this report provides 60 recommendations for national and local authorities to consider.

Whether emergency managers have a liking of companion animals or not, the reality is that failure to protect companion animals during an emergency actually puts human life at risk and there is substantial research to support this reasoning – whereas there is no evidence found to support further inaction.

Conclusion

In New Zealand the existing national arrangements and framework for companion animal emergency management do not currently meet international best practice. While effort is being made within the sector to address the issue, it is often ad hoc and accomplished through the sheer good will and personal interest of individuals with little or no financial and technical support. It is not appropriate to assume that charities such as the SPCA will carry out the necessary companion animal emergency planning which is a statutory responsibility of the territorial authority, especially when national instruments do not provide for the reimbursement of their operational response costs – making them financially vulnerable for simply trying to help during a disaster. What is needed is a comprehensive companion animal emergency management strategy that is led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with sufficient financial and personnel resources to create legislative change and a framework that provides for specialist surge capacity, practitioner education and a series of supporting statutory guidelines. The United States has implemented major projects and provided significant funding for companion animal emergency management as a result of the lessons learned following Hurricane Katrina. New Zealand has the opportunity to mitigate the same risks and prevent similar catastrophes, providing strong leadership and commitment can be exemplified by central government agencies. As Kiwi families consider their pets a member of their family, emergency managers need to plan on the same assumption. If stakeholders follow the philosophy that ‘Pets are one of the family and it is not okay to leave them behind when evacuating’, we will continue to enhance companion animal emergency management in New Zealand in support of our vision for a resilient New Zealand.

IAEM Oceania is hosting this report as a service to members, however does not accept any responsibility or liability for error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be present, nor for the consequences of any decisions based on this information.