Only one-third of Americans have natural disaster plans for pets

Just one-third of Americans have a disaster preparedness plan that includes their pet, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 dog or cat owners revealed half of Americans (52%) believe natural disasters are unavoidable — and 29% find themselves losing sleep worrying about natural disasters and their homes.

Despite this fear about the occurrence of natural disasters, less than half (45%) of respondents have a natural disaster plan in place, and even then, their plan might not cover everything important — including resources for their pet.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the survey results highlight the importance of preparing for natural disasters during National Preparedness Month in September.

Eight in 10 Americans feel it’s important to have a disaster preparedness plan for their pet. For respondents who do have a plan in place for their pet, their top concern is having enough food and water for their pet (73%).

That was followed by physically being able to transport their pet and their belongings (60%), and ensuring that they have an up-to-date disaster preparedness pet kit (48%).

The survey asked respondents about creating a pet emergency kit, including what necessities and comfort items they’d pack for their pets to ensure they are prepared.

Forty percent of respondents have kits prepared for their pets. For those, the top items they have included are food (85%), water (80%) and both water and food bowls (77% and 73%, respectively).

Treats are not forgotten, as 69% of pet owners make sure this is included in their pet’s kit.

Half (51%) also include their pet’s favorite toy, and a third (32%) will even put in clothes that smell like them, likely to help provide comfort to their pet in the case of an emergency.

"Disasters often strike with little warning, so it is crucial to have a plan in place to protect your family and your pets,” said Dr. Rebecca Tremble, Veterinarian and US Strategic Partnership Lead at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “For over a decade, Hill’s Disaster Relief Network has coordinated emergency deliveries of pet food for organizations caring for pets impacted by crises. We also want to ensure pet parents are prepared before disaster strikes. In addition to creating a disaster plan, preparing a pet emergency kit will help you act quickly when needed. This kit should include essentials such as a three-day supply of your pets’ food and water, basic first aid supplies and a safety harness and leash.”

For respondents who have a plan in place for their pets, many still feel like they have areas in which to improve.

When thinking about ways to improve their preparedness plans, 42% want to ensure they have enough resources on hand, while others are focused on having enough money for their plan (39%) or keeping their kit up to date (36%).

In addition to preparing disaster kits, some pet owners have also microchipped their dogs (45%) and cats (34%) to ease the efforts in finding their pets in times of crisis.

The top stressors pet owners struggled with when preparing a disaster plan for their pets include knowing what to do if they got separated from their pet during a natural disaster (49%), having enough funds on hand (39%) and having enough resources (37%).

Pet owners don’t face these stressors alone, as respondents reported that their partner (45%), their kids (26%) and their pet’s veterinarian (22%) are all involved in the creation and execution of their pets’ disaster preparedness plans.

“When creating a preparedness plan for your pet, remember to also consult experts like your pets’ veterinarian and your local animal shelter,” said Dr. Roberta Westbrook, Chief Animal Welfare and Medical Officer at Houston SPCA. “They can offer advice and resources to help coordinate a comprehensive plan including checking that your pets’ microchips are updated and identifying pet-friendly locations in case you have to leave home.”

TOP 10 ITEMS INCLUDED IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS KITS:
● Food 85%
● Water 80%
● Water bowl 77%
● Food bowl 73%
● Treats 69%
● A blanket 65%
● A leash 60%
● A pet carrier 56%
● Pet’s favorite toy 51%
● Pet’s collar 49%

Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American cat and dog owners; the survey was commissioned by Hill’s Pet Nutrition and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Aug. 2, 2024, to Aug. 6, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
● Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive

● Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
● Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
● Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
● Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
● Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.