Community taking lead in emergency planning for their animals

During an emergency, animal owners are often ill-prepared to protect both themselves and their animals. Hazard Note 35 explores animal emergency management in the context of a community group in the NSW Blue Mountains. By focusing on animal owners and community groups, the research explores a ‘community-to-community’ approach to enhancing awareness, preparedness, and planning for animals in emergencies. It identifies key activities, outputs and processes that can be translated for use by other communities; and provides emergency service agencies with another route to community engagement.
 
By highlighting the impact of animals on the behaviours of people in natural hazards, this research has reinforced the need to support communities to be prepared and to plan for animals.

This research will be featured at Research Driving Change - Showcase 2017 in Adelaide on 4-5 July. 

Further reading

Heath SE, and Linnabary RD (2015), Challenges of Managing Animals in Disasters in the U.S. Animals. 5, pp.173-192; doi, 10.3390/ani5020173 

Taylor M, Eustace G and McCarthy M (2015), Animal Emergency Management in Australia: an audit of current legislation, plans, policy, community engagement resources, initiatives, needs, and research disemination, Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC

Taylor M, McCarthy M, Burns P, Thompson K, Smith B and Eustace G (2015), The challenges of managing animals and their owners in disasters: the perspectives of Australian response organisations and stakeholders, Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 30(2), pp. 31-37

Taylor M, Lynch E, Burns P, Eustace G (2015), The preparedness and evacuation behaviour of Australian pet owners in emergencies and natural disasters, Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 30(2), pp. 18-23