Most Would Die To Save Their Pets: Study

[nell.m]

From NineMSN news:

More than 50 per cent of pet owners are willing to put their life on the line for their four-legged friends, a new study has found.

The New Zealand-based poll found that 58 per cent of people would return to a danger zone rather than allow their pets to perish.

Steve Glassey, a distance education student at Charles Sturt University in NSW, said 99 per cent of people deem their pet to be a family member.

"They've got quite a strong bond so that means in a disaster they're quite less likely to abandon them if they're told to do so," said Mr Glassey, a former officer for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Mr Glassey conducted the online poll after discovering a lack of provisions for pets in emergency shelters was one of the reasons people were reluctant to evacuate their homes when Hurricane Katrina tore through the US in 2005.

"A lot of people failed to evacuate because they couldn't take their pets," he told AAP.

Mr Glassey found about 80 per cent of the 92 people he polled in Wellington would be more likely to leave their homes if evacuation centres catered for furry friends.

"It comes down to core value," he said.

"(People are) seeing pets as more than just sentimental property so they want to make sure that all their family is evacuated, not just select members."

Mr Glassey said pets include all "companion animals" - everything except livestock.

The results were presented at the Annual Emergency Service Conference in the capital last week.

[whippets]

Core Values!!

I love my pets to but I also have children. I wouldn't forsake myself over an animal and leave my children without a mother.

[mona]

My OH and I dont have children ....

I cannot imagine the pain of having to leave the dogs behind in a Hurrican Katrina situation. Already things are so stressful and having uncertainty about the fate of your beloved pets would be horrendous.

I believe they have now overturned previous legislation in the US ( following Hurrican Katrina ) where domestic animals are permitted in certain evacuation shelters. Unsure of all the details but I remember reading about it online.

[laeral]

We have declared 'Safer Place' houses and such like to go to in emergency situations (fire etc) in our area. No pets are allowed in these.

I wouldn't be leaving my dog and going to an emergency shelter without her. My mum said she wouldn't leave her cat either.

[GeckoTree]

What people say they will do, and what they will actually do when faced with life & death are usually at opposite ends, survival instinct is a very strong force to overcome. Emergency crews have to have a lot of training to face this instinct.

I hope none of the poll voters get to find out what they will actually do.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

I have more than one pet, so I would not knowingly put myself at risk to save one because it wouldn't do the others any good.

However, I agree with GeckoTree that you don't know what you'll do until you're in the situation. A friend recently stuck her hand out and grabbed her small dog away from a snake. She was lucky not to be bitten. She said later that if she hadn't been in adrenaline mode she would never have done that. I'm probably capable of doing something just as risky through lack of thought.

I think it's a shame that shelters can't take pets, for me part of the problem is leaving animals to an uncertain fate or a horrible death. It might not be very palatable, but for me euth with a gun would be preferable to leaving an animal to burn alive.

[spottychick]

My pets have never been "property" - sentimental or otherwise. They are living, breathing, individual characters and I know they would risk their lives for me. (well not sure about Tango yet but all of my other dogs have protected me at risk to themselves).

I can say with absolute certainty that I would NOT evacuate without my dogs. Its about taking responsibility for their lives - I took them on and made them dependent on me so I could not live with myself if, when push came to shove, I just left them to sink or swim (so to speak) without me. However, I don't know what would happen if it was an immediate and unavoidable choice between their lives and mine. I would not want to die for them but I'm not sure that instinct wouldn't intervene and I'd risk my life regardless. I really don't know.

But I do know if an evacuation shelter wouldn't allow pets to come with me then I wouldn't go there - or I would stand there with dogs on leads and make the shelter 'police' choose - All 3 of us stay out here and risk our lives OR all three of us come in

There is no reason not to let people bring their pets to shelters - even if you make it a rule that they all be in crates/cages.

[Tapferhund]

My pets have never been "property" - sentimental or otherwise. They are living, breathing, individual characters and I know they would risk their lives for me. (well not sure about Tango yet but all of my other dogs have protected me at risk to themselves).

I can say with absolute certainty that I would NOT evacuate without my dogs. Its about taking responsibility for their lives - I took them on and made them dependent on me so I could not live with myself if, when push came to shove, I just left them to sink or swim (so to speak) without me. However, I don't know what would happen if it was an immediate and unavoidable choice between their lives and mine. I would not want to die for them but I'm not sure that instinct wouldn't intervene and I'd risk my life regardless. I really don't know.

But I do know if an evacuation shelter wouldn't allow pets to come with me then I wouldn't go there - or I would stand there with dogs on leads and make the shelter 'police' choose - All 3 of us stay out here and risk our lives OR all three of us come in

There is no reason not to let people bring their pets to shelters - even if you make it a rule that they all be in crates/cages.

Spottychick,

I couldn't have said it better myself ......I thoroughly agree with everything you have said!!

[B-Q]

A big reason I don't want kids is because I don't want to have to put anything before my animals.

I wouldn't evacuate without my dog, he wouldn't leave me behind.

[nell.m]

I wouldn't say i would die for my dog, but I would probably put my life at risk for her! She would be the first thing I would grab in any bad situation!

Survival instinct is stong however protecting your "children" is also a very strong force (I'm not comparing pets to children but we are their protectors).

[SchnauzerBoy]

I would definitely put myself at risk for our 2, but if it was too dangerous, the risk wouldn't be worth it.

Escape routes, plans etc are always known by me before bed etc for a "just in case", which includes knowing where their leads are

[newfsie]

We went through Cyclone Tracey with dogs and we stayed in Darwin post Cyclone, in terrible conditions because of the dogs. no way would we have left them. All abandoned dogs were shot. There was no rescue service for pets out of Darwin.

My second event was, one of our dogs about twenty years ago got his collar ( hence no collars when swimming now) attached to a branch in the Murray River. It was pulling him under. I undressed down to bra and panties and went after him...........hubby came from afar and jumped in clothes and all. this was June in Albury B.....y cold. We detached the collar and both swam back freezing. But to add we both have been life guards and can swim. Hubby was a Bondi Lifesaver. Same dog at Coffs Harbour, got pulled out into a rip. hubby went after him and swam him back the LONG way safely. I think if you are able to and not foolish you should try to do your best. I probably would never go back into a burning building, because fire terrifies me. But I would never just leave mine. One of us would have to make sure they were OK

[OSoSwift]

I hope I never know!

I would risk harm to myself, but not death, I have young children who need their mother.

I would not stay and defend my property from fire, so would hope I had everyone bundled up and away well before then.

I too think you will not know until it happens.

I also know I would not pull my dog away from a snake. I have been in that situation and have roared to leave it and they have and we have all been okay.

I would wade in to rescue my dog from a dog attack, have been there as well.

I wouldn't swim out into the ocean as I would probably end up drowning - I am not a strong swimmer.

Fire terrifies me so I am quite sure I would not go back into a burning building

I hope none of us ever needs to know ....EVER

[Savane]

It depends what the incident was, if we had to flee during fire I'd take the kids and dogs, and the chooks would have to fend for themselves, the rabbits would be coming to so the dogs had better not eat them in the car!!

I would attempt to save a dog drowning I am a strong swimmer, I would give mouth to nose if a pet stopped breathing I have done this before so has my sister unfortunetly only she was successful. I don't see it as putting the kids over the pets, It might be wrong but I see the kids as extra helping hands but perhaps I would see it differently in a smoke filled haze. I know I wouldn't search for a pet, I'd grab and run not risk minutes.

[sandgrubber]

Have a yarn with California fire fighters. Quite a few people do put their lives at risk to save their pets in fires, and a few actually die in the attempt. It's a nightmare for the fire crews.

[FD26]

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We have declared 'Safer Place' houses and such like to go to in emergency situations (fire etc) in our area. No pets are allowed in these.

I wouldn't be leaving my dog and going to an emergency shelter without her. My mum said she wouldn't leave her cat either.

I wouldn't leave my pets, either. Luckily it's slim to none that I'd have to. If we get a cyclone here our house is just as secure as the shelters. If it's going to be too big I'd be packing all the pets/my son in the car and driving south as far as I can lol. But I'd never leave them behind, nooo way.

[poochmad]

If there was an emergency, my dogs would be coming too. Knowing my husband, he'd proably injure himself making sure the dogs got away safely. I know that animals can be 'replaced' and people can't, but I'd be lost without my dogs and I can't imagine being able to turn away from them in a frightful situation like a fire.

[carrie]

We have declared 'Safer Place' houses and such like to go to in emergency situations (fire etc) in our area. No pets are allowed in these.

I wouldn't be leaving my dog and going to an emergency shelter without her. My mum said she wouldn't leave her cat either.

A few years ago we were expecting a huge cyclone in Darwin, it was one of the biggest Australia had ever seen (it didn't end up hitting us in the end) but I had an interesting situation because we were thinking we'd be told to evacuate or head to cyclone shelters. My mum is a pastor so she is actually required to go and be a chaplain at a community emergency shelter and her shelter she was allocated to was in a shopping centre which didn't allow pets, and my father ran a wildlife park so he had to be at the park if the cyclone hit but of course our pets couldn't go with him because the wildlife park can't have domestic pets at it. After hours of fighting (I think I was only about 18 or 19 at the time) I flat out refused to leave my animals if the cyclone did hit so in the end my parents left me and the animals in our houses cyclone shelter. The cyclone didn't hit Darwin, but a massive storm did, but there was just no way I would have left the animals!

[Miss B]

Hate to say it, but as much as I love my dogs - I would not risk my life for them.

[PRADA68]

I know I would there would be NO WAY in hell I would let mine perish, be shot, get lost, injured they are my family and I could not live with myself knowing I let my animals down or worse left them to die alone or in horrible circumstances.