WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- Nearly two thirds of U.S. pet owners would not evacuate in the path of a disaster if they could not take their animals with them, says a new survey.
The American Kennel Club survey of more than 1000 pet owners found that 62 per cent would defy a mandatory evacuation order if it involved leaving their animals. The same percentage said they had a family and/or pet evacuation plan in case a natural disaster hits.
Just under a quarter told surveyors they were prompted to design an emergency plan for their pet after Hurricane Katrina last year and between 80 and 90 percent had at least one of the basic components of a pet disaster kit -- like extra pet food, vaccination records, or a spare leash.
The American Kennel Club said it carried out the survey over a two-week period in May. A total of 1,006 responded voluntarily to 17 questions, but recruits were self-selected and the club said it "does not guarantee that these statistics are scalable to the overall population," calling the data "anecdotal."
