Only about half of Otago pet owners have thought about how they will care for their animals in a disaster, a survey shows.
Emergency Management Otago has released the results of its preparedness survey of 1700 households, including 500 in Dunedin.
The organisation's public information and education manager, Michele Poole, said there had been some stark recent examples, such as Hurricane Florence in the United States, where people had been very distressed over the fate of their pets.
"It is pretty much a universal issue, and it is something we encourage people to do something about,'' Ms Poole said.
While most Otago households have begun taking steps to prepare for emergencies, some people have still done nothing.
One-third of Dunedin residents said they were not prepared for an emergency, and one-third of those had no plan or emergency kit.
The equation was fairly simple - three days of food, water and supplies for the family and the same for the pets.
"And if you have to evacuate, then that's [a] whole different story - you have to decide whether or not to take your pets with you.''
The preparedness survey shows that most people know that natural hazards will disrupt their lives, but that this still does not spur them to take action.
Asked what would motivate them to be better prepared, 28% said an earthquake or other emergency and 14% said warnings of extreme bad weather. Ten percent said they would need more information on what to do.
Dunedin people felt they were most likely to be personally affected by an earthquake, flood or storm.
"The underlying message is that it really doesn't matter what the emergency is, if you are prepared for one, you are prepared for them all,'' Ms Poole said.
"And if you can look after yourself, then you should check on your neighbours - if people can get together, they can help each other.''
The response to the question of where evacuation zones can be found in Dunedin, in which 50% of answers were correct and 50% wrong, showed that "everyone was guessing''.
"That tells me we have some work to do around that.''
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency "Get Ready Week'', October 9 to 15, will be held to mark International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (October 13).
This will be followed by the New Zealand ShakeOut, the national earthquake drill, on October 18.
Plan for your pets
• Include your pets in your emergency plan. Include leashes, food and safe drinking water for at least three days.
• Blankets and carry cases for each pet with contact details attached.
• If you’re planning to go and stay with friends or relations, make sure they know you’re bringing your pets.
• Consider having your pets microchipped - they will be easier to trace if they go missing.
Get your home ready by taking these steps:
• Create a household emergency plan.
• Assemble and maintain emergency items - you will need supplies for three days.
• Essentials: Water, first aid kit, torch and radio, blankets or sleeping bags, non-perishable (canned or dried) food.
• Useful: Fire extinguisher, can opener, wind and waterproof clothing, outdoor shoes and sunhat, face and dust masks, emergency toilet provisions, primus or gas barbecue to cook on.
• Personal: Medication, pet supplies, food and drinks for babies and small children. Keep important documents where you can find them quickly.
BRENDA.HARWOOD @thestar.co.nz
