Introduction

I remember hearing about the impact on pets from hurricane Katrina when more than 250,000 pets were abandoned. Although hurricanes at the caliber of Katrina do not happen frequently, according to the National Hurricane Center, “Each year, an average of eleven tropical storms develop over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Many of these remain over the ocean and never impact the U.S. coastline. Six of these storms become hurricanes each year. In an average 3-year period, roughly five hurricanes strike the US coastline.” It is clear that preparation for hurricanes is needed when they are a relatively common occurrence; however, this means preparation for all. It is easy to overlook favorite companions while preparing the family for the worst, and when the storm comes, leave their pets behind, hoping to return to them shortly. This is the main cause of hurricane-related pet abandonment. If people  prepare their pets and plan ahead, thousands of pets’ lives could be saved.