Over 15 years handling, testing, and restoring pocket, fixed-blade, and Damascus steel knives across hunting and everyday-carry disciplines.
This question might surprise you. It may seem alarmist or exaggerated, yet it is essential. It could save your companion’s life… and perhaps your own during a future disaster.
You might think: “I would never leave my pet behind if I had to evacuate.”
I don’t doubt that. But in the field, a harsh reality sets in: love for your companion is not enough when everything is collapsing around you.
In an emergency, the difference comes down to one word: PREPARATION.
Why is this question so crucial?
A look at Katrina: the disaster that changed everything.
In the United States, on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. The world saw flooded neighborhoods and separated families… but the media overlooked another tragedy unfolding in silence.
Between 100,000 and 250,000 pets were abandoned or lost. Up to 70,000 died. Not because their owners didn’t love them, but because nothing had been planned for them. Their needs had not been anticipated.
Evacuation buses refused animals. Shelters displayed signs: “No pets allowed.” And one scene became the symbol of a failing system: a police officer pulling a dog named “Snowball” from a child’s arms before they boarded a bus. The child screamed and vomited. The whole world was devastated.
The result: 44% of people who refused to evacuate did so to avoid abandoning their pet. Some survived. Others did not.
The United States learned its lesson. Europe, not yet.
Less than a year after Katrina, a federal law, the PETS Act, was passed. To receive government aid for disaster relief, states must include animals in their evacuation plans.
Three years later, when Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana, humans and animals evacuated together: transport, housing, and tracking were all planned. It was a success!
This legislative change was not just an act of compassion. It also addressed a major public health issue, as studies have shown that:
- Losing a pet during a disaster can cause severe psychological trauma, sometimes more intense than losing a home,
- Up to a third of healthcare personnel may refuse to work if they have no solution for their pets, weakening the entire emergency system.
While the United States has learned, Europe does not have any equivalent legislative framework.
Yet, our continent, which is warming twice as fast as the global average, is facing increasingly frequent and intense disasters: the Ahrweiler flash flood in 2015 in Germany, Storm Alex in 2020, the fires around Athens in 2023 in Greece, Storm Dana in Valencia in 2024 in Spain… Everywhere, owners have had to flee in minutes, leaving behind animals they never found again.
In Europe, there is no guarantee that your pet can evacuate or be housed with you: without legislation, emergency services are not required to accept your animal during an evacuation.
While emergency responders may help you evacuate with your companion, your true guarantee remains your personal preparation.
How do you know if you are prepared for your pet’s well-being?
Here are the 3 essential questions to ask yourself today.
1. Do you have an emergency kit for your pet?
When you have to leave in minutes, it is already too late to improvise. An emergency kit is not a bag packed in a rush. It is a set designed to help your pet last between 2 and 10 days, depending on your situation.
Needs vary by species, breed, age, health status, and behavior. For example, a diabetic cat will have different needs than a young, healthy dachshund. An exotic pet, meanwhile, requires specific equipment.
Do you know exactly what your pet needs to survive several days away from home?
Without a ready, accessible, and complete kit, your companion is not prepared. A well-designed emergency kit, however, saves lives.
2. Do you have an evacuation plan that includes your pet?
An effective evacuation plan is more than just “leaving quickly.” It includes, among other things, possible routes, alternative destinations, emergency contacts, and your pet’s specific needs:
- How do they react under stress?
- Do they have special needs?
- Can they coexist with other animals in a collective shelter?
- etc.
In France, and more broadly in Europe, few emergency shelters accept animals. Having an evacuation plan is not a luxury: it is a necessity.
3. Is your pet properly identified?
In case of separation during a disaster, identification is your best hope of finding your companion.
After Katrina, less than 5% of rescued animals were reunited with their owners, mainly due to insufficient identification.
A microchip, a collar with an engraved tag, and recent photographs are the winning trio. Added to this is a valuable new asset: the free French application Lost’him, whose “Pet Match” AI significantly increases the chances of reunification by mobilizing both a community and powerful algorithms.
A true modern lifebuoy in case of crisis.
Preparing your pet: an act of love, an act of prevention
We don’t like to imagine the worst. Yet, preparing your furry friend today means giving them the best chance to stay by your side tomorrow.
Your pet depends entirely on you: they cannot pack their own kit or understand the urgency. Your responsibility starts now, while things are calm.
What if we take action together?
Preparation doesn’t take months: it just requires starting.
My name is Céline Sissler-Bienvenu.
I have led rescue operations for domestic and wild animals in Europe and Africa for renowned NGOs. I have intervened in major disasters ranging from fires in Greece to the war in Ukraine, and contributed to the rescue of over 200,000 animals in three years.
One thing became clear: we save animal (and human) lives during a crisis, but we protect even more when we act beforehand. That is why I have chosen to dedicate myself to prevention and preparation, to help individuals, communities, and organizations committed to protecting animals to anticipate and plan for the unthinkable.
To do this, I founded Planimalia consulting, the first consulting agency dedicated to including animals in disaster prevention and preparedness.
How can I help you?
With Planimalia consulting, I offer tailor-made support for you and your pet, putting my field experience and expertise at the service of your preparation.
I help you develop your kit, your evacuation plan, your identification strategy, and your organization based on your specific risks… all adapted to your pet, your home, and your environment.
An identified, equipped pet, used to their gear, with a prepared owner: that is a successful rescue.
Because every animal deserves to be protected. Because every owner deserves to have a plan. Because it is never too early to prepare, but it can be too late.
A big thank you to Céline for her insights on a subject essential to our animals. DoxieLife is proud to share her message of prevention and preparation.
You can easily find Céline Sissler-Bienvenu on LinkedIn.
DoxieLife – 💚
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